“Look. I’m gonna tell you the same thing I told her. My name isn’t Gabriel! She’s got the wrong guy!” Bree yelled at the top of his lungs. He refused to get pulled into this shit just because some blind woman had a case of mistaken identity on her hands!
Michael snorted at the psychic. One vampire held Evangeline from behind, one arm around her neck, and the other around her arms, keeping them tight. Two other vampires held Gabriel. One for each arm and they forced him down on his knees. He struggled for all he was worth but he could tell he was beginning to tire.
“Too late for him,” he replied, walking up to the man who used to be one of the most powerful vampires in the world. Now on his knees and nothing more than a human. How disgusting. But harmless human or not, he had to get rid of him. He was still a threat. “Keep him still.” He reached over and grabbed Gabriel by the hair. Oh, he was going to enjoy this and the grin on his face said as much. He could feel his fangs growing and it gave him no small amount of satisfaction to see the fear in his twin’s eyes. His eyes grew wide. His heart was beating faster.
Michael ran his tongue over his fangs. “Poor little Gabriel … I told you I would taste your blood,” he whispered into his ear as he lowered his head. “It is fitting that after all I have taken from you, I finally take the ultimate prize.” He licked the base of his neck, felt the pulse beating there and could feel the involuntary shudder that went through Gabriel. “Your life.”
“No! Gabriel!” Evangeline cried. She tried to break away but the vampire’s grip was too strong and her cane was too far! And Brutus! Oh no, where was Brutus?!
From the swirl of fear and desperation in his mind, Bree felt a twinge of anger. How many times did he have to tell them his name wasn’t Gabriel?! But this whacko was whispering about shit he didn’t even know about and … he was seriously going to bite him?!
“I told you, my name isn’t–AAAAGGGH!” It was like a dog had sunk its teeth into his neck but these teeth were bigger and the guy standing over him was pulling his hair so hard, it probably wouldn’t be long before he pulled it all out!
As soon as Michael tore into the skin, he felt the blood swelling up. He tightened his hold on Gabriel’s hair and forced his head back at an even more uncomfortable angle. The other two vampires had loosened their hold on Gabriel, seeing no reason for it now that the boss had him right where he wanted. Michael didn’t bother being neat. He just ripped his fangs out and felt the blood gushing out now. He clamped his mouth on the wide wound he left as the life began to flow out of his twin.
Gabriel could feel his blood draining out of him. He was slipping into shock. All he could register was the sound of sucking, the feeling of becoming weak, empty. Someone was holding him up by the hair and there was a hand on his back. All he could see was black …
Darkness.
Screaming.
A black-haired man with golden eyes and an evil smirk. Another black-haired man, younger than the first with dark gray eyes. Then a blonde woman with a sad smile. And a brunette with pain in her eyes …
Michael had finally drunk enough. He ran his tongue over his blood-red fangs as he lifted his head, dropped the body. Gabriel was looking pale and his eyes were unfocused, distant. His blood was beginning to slide down his neck, gather in a pool beneath him. It was only a matter of time before he bled to death.
“Now that, that is taken care of,” Michael announced. He was unable to resist the smug grin. That had been so very satisfying! After all the pain Gabriel had put him through! He turned and set his sights on the psychic. “As for you … I find it fitting that you return to being my doll.”
“NO!” Evangeline cried. She was never going to be his doll again! NEVER!
The two vampires who had held Gabriel now left him on the ground and flanked either side of their boss. The other vampire, still holding Evangeline, held her tighter. Maybe, just maybe the boss would let them feed now! All three vampires‘ fangs were already growing in anticipation!
No one noticed that Gabriel’s wound had stopped bleeding or that the wound itself was beginning to seal up. His eyes flashed red. His hands slowly tightened, grew into claws. Fangs emerged from under his lips. His lips were dry, his throat was parched. He could hear the beat of a heart, laughter, weeping. But the only thing that mattered was the hunger. He was hungry, thirsty.
He stood.
“LET GO OF ME! GET OFF–!” Evangeline was struggling for all she was worth! She was tired, maybe, but she refused to give up! She couldn’t possibly give up! “GABRIEL?!”
One of the vampires at Michael’s side laughed. “Yeah, like we’re gonna fall for that!”
“Man, look!” The one holding Evangeline saw him, though and he wasn’t laughing. What the fuck was going on?!
All three vampires turned but Gabriel wasted no time. He grabbed the vampire who had thought Evangeline was joking by the collar and pulled him close. Then he sunk his fangs into his neck, not even feeling the vampire kicking and screaming. For what seemed like an eon, the only sounds in that alley were the sounds of Gabriel feeding and the vampire crying for help.
Gabriel finally let go but by then he’d drained the vampire completely. “What the fuck …” Michael muttered, stepping backwards. He couldn’t understand it! Why was Gabriel still standing?! How did he become a vampire so suddenly?! “Get him!” He pointed!
Evangeline found herself suddenly let go and she scurried to get out of the way! Gabriel. A vampire?! And from the feel of things, he was more animal than man! Just like when he’d gone berserk on the tanker!
The two vampires charged him at once! They weren’t going to let him get them! But Gabriel proved too fast! He caught a fist in each hand and tightened his grip. Then he twisted their arms and flew them into each other! There was the sickening CRACK of bones breaking! He’d suddenly let go of their fists to grab them by the collars of their shirts and drove both of their heads through the brick wall!
They were still stunned when Gabriel pulled one of them out and sunk his fangs into his neck! He had only started drinking when he ripped his throat out and dropped him! The same fate awaited the next vampire! When they were both on the ground, writhing, he slammed his fists into their chests, pulled out their hearts and crushed them!
Michael was nowhere to be found!
The coast seemed clear. She stood, still unsure of whether it was safe or not but knowing she had to try and get through to him. Perhaps figure out what was going on. “Gabriel …?”
“…” He turned, looked at her hard for a moment as he stood and took a step toward her. His fangs were disappearing but there was blood on his mouth, on his clothes. It was everywhere. And the way he was looking at her. He didn’t recognize her. Nothing seemed to register except that she was food.
Then his knees suddenly gave way and he collapsed.
***
“What’s wrong? Why isn’t he responding?!” Evangeline had managed to contact Oracle and gotten Gabriel rushed into the nearest branch’s Infirmary. Now she was in the waiting room, hysterical and wringing her hands as the doctor sat down beside her to explain things.
“Please, Ms. Clark. We’re doing all we can. The truth is, there is only so much we can do.” The doctor took a deep breath. “In fact, I don’t think there’s anything we can do. We don’t have the necessary knowledge to treat a Carnatelli. He’s a different type of vampire than the ones we’re used to treating.”
“But he’s not a vampire, he’s a man!”
“Not according to our readings. It’s amazing. Really. Never before in our studies has a master vampire been able to produce another master vampire purely by blood transfusion. It’s been a general rule that a vampire always produces a weaker vampire, if any at all.” The doctor sounded very excited about all of this but Evangeline, for one, did not.
“What will happen to him now?” was all she could ask.
“Well, we’ll keep quartered here either until he wakes up or …”
“Or …?” She didn’t like the way he sounded.
“Or … we get the orders to destroy him. I’m sorry, Ms. Clark. But the higher ups believe it is too risky to let a Carnatelli lie around here. Someone is bound to realize who he is and when they decide to come for him … it’s too big a risk for the humans here.”
“Then move him! Or–or swear everyone to silence if you have to!”
“Ms. Clark, please. I can’t begin to imagine how difficult this is for you but … orders are orders. If you like, you can go in and see him.”
“Thank you, doctor. I’d like that very much.”
The doctor nodded and took Evangeline’s arm, gently guiding her into the room.