by Jacey Ward
Ava gasped as her eyes widened. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing! Chase Veldassare, the man she had grown so close to in the past week, was promised to another woman? It couldn’t possibly be true, could it?
Ava began to feel dizzy, as if the entire room had started spinning around her.
“Necromorus, come forth!” Katheryn commanded, motioning to a dark corner of the room.
Ava noticed that the woman was wearing a dark-colored amulet on a chain around her neck, and when she beckoned the demon, the amulet began to glow with a fiery red light.
That must be the Necrostone! Ava thought silently, but how did this strange woman get her hands on it?
Noticing where Ava’s stare was locked, Katheryn smirked evilly.
A towering dark-cloaked figure emerged from the shadowy corner and joined Katheryn at her side. The creature turned to face the naked, traumatized Ava and growled low at her, showing his yellow fangs. Ava cringed and whimpered.
“Oh, don’t be frightened, young one! He is but a mere pet of mine. He won’t harm you - unless I tell him to,” Katheryn stated proudly. “Quite talented, this one is. He can pick up the scent of untainted blood from miles away. And you, well your scent is undeniable. It’s almost as if your birthmark itself secretes a supernatural pheromone. You couldn’t hide anywhere in the world from my pet.”
“You see, you have become quite a thorn in my side, Sacred One. It is my daughter’s destiny to become the first lady of the Veldassare vampire clan; it always has been. I spent nearly an entire century training, prepping and molding her into the perfect specimen for a future leader of this clan. She is destined to lead the next generation into a new era—one where you vile human scum will finally serve at the feet our kind again!”
Ava could hardly believe what she was hearing! Who was this crazy vampire bitch and why did she seem to have such a deep-seated hatred for human beings?
“You see, when Necromorus here drains the very last drop of Sacred blood from your body and offers it to the Keeper of the Portal, the portal to the Underworld will be opened and we, the superior supernatural beings will rule this world once again for the next thousand years!” her voice rose with intensity and excitement as she spoke. “Oh, what a glorious new world it will be!”
Ava shook her head vigorously as she groaned and struggled, trying to loosen the ties that held her captive.
“Your resistance is useless, young one! You may as well accept your fate with some dignity!” Katheryn sneered as her eyes began to glow with the same red color as the Necrostone. “Necromorus! Let us begin!”
Ava watched in horror as the demon began to approach her, its bulging, globular eyes burning red like blazing coals. She struggled frantically, in unadulterated panic, her hysterical sobs escaping but having no effect on her captors.
The creature reached inside of its cloak and pulled out an odd-looking device. It looked almost like a very long ceremonial scalpel of some kind and just the sight of it made Ava start thrashing about, hysterically. She was certain that the Demon intended to cut slice her neck and let her blood drain out. Funny how she remembered that detail now. The one where the blood of the Sacred Sixth was to be collected and given to some freaking demon portal keeper!
The demon approached her and Ava could smell the stench of rotted flesh and hot brimstone. The creature spread its scaly, crusted lips into a wicked grin and pressed a button on the top of the metal contraption that she was tied to, and the device started rotating in a clockwise motion, slowly turning her nude body into an upside down position. Ava glanced down and saw that there was a large black urn on the floor directly beneath her. It had ceremonial markings on the inside and seemed to glow with a dim red light embedded right into the metal that the bowl was forged from. The realization of what was about to happen hit Ava hard, and her panic ratcheted up another ten degrees.
Katheryn stood back and watched with a smug smile on her face.
Just as the demon was about to pierce the side of her neck with the long, weird looking knife, Ava suddenly heard a thunderous BOOM.
Distracted, the demon and Katheryn both turned their attention to the door on the far side of the large room.
“Katheryn! You TRAITOR!”
Ava recognized the sound of the voice immediately. It was Chase! He had found her and had come to her rescue! She sagged against her bonds, her relief leaving her muscles boneless. He was holding some kind of large metal sword in his hand and he immediately made a break directly for Katheryn—eyeing the glowing amulet that she was wearing around her neck.
“How DARE you, Katheryn?” he shouted angrily, as he moved with remarkable speed toward her. “You’re a fucking monster!”
“I’ll show you a fucking monster!” Kathryn shouted. “Necromorus! Get him!”
She pointed her finger toward Chase and the demon threw its head back and roared loudly, as it changed course from Ava to attack Chase instead.
Chase made a swift dash for the creature, wielding his sword-like weapon and as the demon leapt into the air preparing to pounce on top of him, he quickly swung the sword upward, and the creature fell from the air onto the ground. It had been sliced deeply from its shoulder to its midsection by Chase’s weapon and thick, black gunk was drizzling from its wound.
Katheryn was making her way over to where Ava was still hanging upside down on the ritual contraption. She had retrieved the long metallic knife that the demon had been holding when Chase had first burst into the basement. Immediately realizing what she was planning to do, he maneuvered around the injured demon and rushed over to stop Katheryn.
“Katheryn, you crazy bitch! I can’t believe you made a deal with demons!” Chase hissed. He reached out and grabbed her from behind, throwing her across the room, and away from the woman he loved. Katheryn lay sprawled on the hard stone floor, but still managed to smile evilly as she turned her face slowly back up toward his.
“These humans don’t deserve to be equals to us! We are superior! They are but bags of blood and bones, meant to serve beings like us! Why can’t you see that?” Katheryn insisted. “Necromorus!” she screamed. “Finish him before he ruins everything!”
The demon perked its lizard-like head up at the sound of its commander’s voice. The injury it had sustained from Chase’s blow was already beginning to heal. With a loud roar, it lunged forward and scooped Chase up with one long, strong arm, throwing him into the cement wall of the room with such vehement force that Chase was almost knocked out cold, falling facedown onto the cold floor.
Seeing him flung like a rag doll, Ava cringed and cried out to him. She felt relieved seeing that he was still conscious and watched helplessly as he struggled his way back up to his feet.
The momentary diversion had given Katheryn just enough time to reach out and grab the twelve-inch long, scalpel-like knife that had fallen to the floor when Chase had shoved her. She rose to her feet and while the demon stalked forward to finish off Chase, Katheryn moved intently towards Ava.
It’s time to finish this, she thought impatiently.
“Necromorus, KILL him!” she shouted angrily.
The demon lunged toward Chase and knocked him down onto his back. It drew its humongous-clawed hand back and was just about to rip Chase’s face to shreds when it suddenly stopped in mid-air. Chase turned his head to see what had caused the demon to stop in mid-attack.
His jaw dropped open when he saw that Azalea had snuck up behind her mother and had ripped the glowing Necrostone from around her neck. Instinctively, Katheryn immediately shoved the long, sharp end of the knife backward and into the chest of the individual who had crept up behind her and yanked the stone from her neck, thus halting the demon’s fatal strike on Chase.
Gurgling sounds erupted from Azalea’s throat as she dropped the amulet from her hand and grabbed onto the object that was deeply rooted in her chest.
“Azalea!” Chase called out, rolling out from out under the demon.
It was almos
t as if time slowed down.
When Katheryn heard Chase shout out her daughter’s name, her proud smirk instantly transformed into an expression of extreme confusion, and then almost instantly, overpowering anguish.
Her mouth opened in pure shock and she gasped loudly, completely flabbergasted. Her hands came up, as if she could stop the past event from happening. But seeing her only daughter, her pride and joy, impaled in the heart by her own hands caused her to shatter.
Azalea dropped down onto the floor, with her hand still gripping the long knife. Katheryn let out an ear-splitting cry of excruciating agony as she dropped to her knees and wrapped her dying daughter in her arms.
“No! NOOO! AZALEA!! NOOOO!” she screamed, over and over again. “NOOO! My baby!”
“I-I couldn’t let you kill him, Mom,” Azalea stammered, as the last breaths of life escaped from her lips. “I-I love him.” Dark red blood poured from her mouth as she choked out her last words before taking her final breath.
Seeing an opportunity, Chase quickly jumped up and lurched forward, grabbing the amulet off the floor.
While Katheryn continued to sob loudly and rock her dead daughter in her arms, Chase realized that the demon was waiting for commands from the holder of the amulet. Chase saw his chance to destroy the amulet and free the love of his life. He looked the demon in the eye. “Don’t move a step,” he ordered.
The demon eyed him curiously as Chase hurled the amulet into the enormous, sizzling fireplace. The power given off by the amulet immediately caused a giant explosion and bright blue and orange flames quickly began to engulf the entire room.
The demon’s eyes grew wide and it roared out in pain as its physical body burst into flames. Chase hurriedly ran over to free Ava. He cut away her bonds with the sword, and hauled her off the contraption and into his arms.
Ava’s eyes lit up with relief as the man she loved came to her rescue.
“Chase! You came for me!” Ava exclaimed, as a grateful smile spread across her tear-streaked face.
“I told you I would protect you with my life, Ava,” he whispered softly into her hair.
“Come on, we’ve got to go!” he shouted over Katheryn’s shrill, sorrow-filled cries of grief, and the loud crackling of the rapidly spreading fire.
Chase quickly ripped off his shirt and wrapped Ava’s trembling, naked body in it. Sweeping her into his strong arms again, he whisked her across the burning room and out of the basement door to safety.
Prologue
Seeing the huge fire that had engulfed the Bradenton manor, the residents all came together and eventually put the fire out. After cleaning up the rubble and debris, they eventually came across the charred, severely burned remains of Katheryn and her daughter Azalea. The demon’s body was never found. Chase’s mother was sure it had been sent to the Underworld because of the destruction of the Necrostone, hopefully never to be seen again.
2½ Months Later On Chase’s 100th Birthday
Chase stood proudly at the front of the community hall dressed up in an expensive dark suit and silk tie. His deep blue eyes sparkled in the light of the room as he watched the love of his life walk down the narrow aisle until she finally joined him at the podium.
“Chase Victor Veldassare, I hereby pronounce you and Ava Hartzman mates for life. You may now kiss the very first human First Lady of the Veldassare Vampire Clan!”
The words of the Veldassare Elder rang out throughout the community center. Chase took his beautiful human bride into his arms and kissed her passionately as the large crowd broke out into a round of applause and excited shouts of approval.
THE END
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