Chapter 16

Casey was terrified as the howls of the wolves drew closer and closer. She’d been in Black Watch Asylum for three years and barely survived by whoring to the Mexicans but ever since that bitch Miranda threw acid on her face she’d been kicked out of the neighborhood, forced to fend for herself.

She had no idea where to go, nor did she have anyone to rely on. As the sun began to set she did the only thing she could do, she ran for the inner city hoping the tall buildings would provide better cover than the suburban areas.

The streets emptied quickly as dusk settled in and the howling began. Casey ran into an alley with a bunch of trash cans and emptied one out into a bigger bin before climbing inside. The trash can smelled putrid making her gag reflex kick in, she dry heaved releasing only sour bile that she swallowed back down. It was disgusting but she was afraid any human smells would draw those monsters towards her.

The night wore on and hours passed. She began to hope that somehow she would make it. Even though her legs hurt from the cramped position she dares not make a single move, remaining in her fetal position. She was beginning to nod off to sleep when a loud howl almost made her jump up.

“That was really close…” She thought to herself as her heart began beating furiously. She hoped it was her mind playing tricks but a part of her knew the werewolves were closer now. It wasn’t long before she heard footsteps enter the alley. “Please God, protect me from this evil.” She begged.

Suddenly the lid was taken off the trash can. Casey didn’t move, she hoped they would think she was dead if she just remained still. “Why do you hide human?” She heard a voice snarl.

Her body began to shake but she dared not look up. “Please, just let me go. I haven’t seen your face.”

“Ha! You think that matters? This is the asylum, there’s no police coming to investigate your death. You’re just another criminal, another number.” He chuckled briefly.

Casey couldn’t hold back the tears as she began to sob. “Look at me. I said look at me, human!” The voice spat.

Casey’s whole body shook as she looked up at the figure. All she could see where shadows covering his face but she could tell the man was human, not werewolf. The man reached over and grabbed her by the neck then lifted her easily with one hand, as if she weighed as much as a pillow.

She began to choke as the hand gripped her neck tightly. The man pinned her against the wall and held her there. She looked into his eyes and for the first time she noticed they were completely black. “The werewolves will find you soon enough, you have two options.” The man spoke.

He released the grip he had on her throat and she dropped to the ground like a sack of bricks. “You can follow me, attain the power to protect yourself. You will never have to rely on someone else again. Or you can remain here.” The man said casually as he walked off.

Casey didn’t even hesitate, she followed the strange man. She wasn’t confident about her ability to survive out here by herself, but the man had her at ‘Power’. Something she’s never had, all her life she’s had the looks to get men to do what she wanted, she had power. But ever since she entered this Asylum that power was stripped away as she was forced to become a whore, what’s worse is that she had to pretend she was happy all the time. She hated her life.

She remained several steps behind the man as he made his way out the alley. Wolves howled continuously but the man just walked casually down the street. A group of werewolves entered the street and began running in their direction.

Casey tensed up as she hurried towards the man, grabbing his coat, and hiding behind him as if he’d make the monsters go away. The sounds of several wolves grew louder as the panting wolves drew closer. The man grabbed her hand and suddenly shadows swirled around them bathing them in darkness.

“Eep!” She couldn’t help but to let out a squeal as the shadows appeared. The man turned around with an angry glare, clamping down on her mouth as he pinned her against the wall. The werewolves turned in their direction. As the wolves appeared right behind the man, Casey’s eyes grew wider. She would’ve screamed in terror if the man wasn’t holding her mouth closed. The wolves paced back and forth as they sniffed the air.

“I smell human…” One of the werewolves growled in a low voice.

“I smell it, but I can’t see a human.” Another wolf spoke.

For several minutes they went back and forth sometimes drawing really close to where the man was pinning Casey. But when they couldn’t find anything they began to leave. Casey relaxed as the werewolves withdrew.

“Foolish girl.” The man hissed. He let her go and for the second time that day she collapsed on the ground.

The man began walking off, Casey eagerly followed. “What’s your name?” She asked after what felt like an hour of walking. She couldn’t bear the silence and the sounds of werewolves grew faint as the man headed towards the south.

“Don’t ask questions you don’t deserve to hear the answer to.” He said gruffly before suddenly entering an alley.

Casey followed him down the alley until he stopped at a green door. He banged on the metal green door three times. A slot opened on the green door revealing two pitch black eyes. “Password.” The man behind the door said.

“The fall of man.”

The door swung open revealing a giant man with a clean shaven head. He allowed the man to pass by. He eyed Casey intently as she walked by but Casey clung to her savior’s coat. The place they entered reminded her of a lounge. There were several pool tables in one corner, sofas and a TV in the middle showing a soccer game. At the back there was a bar, although there were only bottles of what looked like red wine.

Casey felt amazed, she’d never seen such luxuries within Black Watch Asylum. There were a lot of people inside hanging about. Men and women mingled together as they played pool or sat in front of the TV watching the soccer game. It didn’t take her long to notice everyone here wore no collars around their necks. One of the men playing pool turned towards the man and nodded. “Charlie.”

Her savior nodded back to the man, “Luke.”

Charlie huh? Now I know his name. She noticed the man who called out Charlie’s name was staring at Charlie a certain way. Casey knew that look, it’s the same look many a men have looked at her. Longing, desire, love. Do these two have a relationship? She wondered.

Casey continued to hang onto Charlie’s coat as he led them to a room in the back. She felt nervous because everyone was staring at her as if she was a walking meal. Finally, after they entered a room in the back he turned towards her.

“The fact that you followed me all this way tells me you want power. Am I mistaken?”

“N-no.” Casey replied clearing her dry throat.

“Very well, I will ask you then. Do you wish to become a vampire?” Charlie asked.

Casey nodded her head up and down. “Good.” He said.

Charlie took Casey’s hand and lined her fingers up so that it was directly opposite his. The nails on his hand extended. In one swift movement he dug into her fingers. Casey screamed in pain as something began entering her fingers and coursed through her whole body.

For several minutes all she knew was pain as the liquid entered through her fingers, went up her arm and throughout her whole body. She wasn’t aware when Charlie let her go but the next thing she knew she was on the floor, her whole body seizing. It wasn’t long before darkness came and claimed her.

Charlie looked down at the still form of the human and sighed. “I thought you said you’d give me what I wanted.” He said out loud to the empty room.

Suddenly the shadows began coalescing as a figure walked out of the shadows. “Patience Charlie… I always deliver.” A feminine voice sounded.

Charlie turned around and looked at the woman. He felt like throwing up as he looked upon the deformed demon, her head inflating and deflating with every breath she took. The woman sidled up to Charlie wrapping an arm around him.

“Do you find me repulsive?” She questioned with a grin.

Charlie didn’t dare say anything. This was his key to power and he didn’t want to offend. But the look of disdain was plainly written across his face. The demon laughed and turned around. “You will soon have your army of vampires and will be able to overthrow that little hybrid. Just don’t forget what you promised me, I’d hate to squish my new plaything.”

The demon chuckled lightly before entering the dark corner. Her figure collapsed into swirls of shadows. He heard the girl on the floor groaning as she stirred from sleep. Her stomach rumbled audibly before she stood up and looked at Charlie hungrily.

“Master, I’m hungry.” Casey whined.

“Go, your meal is in the next room.” He said. He was happy the transfer actually worked. There were only a few humans out there that could handle the superior blood of vampires, but with the demon by his side he could turn any human into a vampire. The great thing about it was that once they were turned using his blood those vampires would become wholly devoted and loyal to him.

The girl ran out of the only door in the room. Several minutes later he heard the screams of a human coming from the other room.

“Soon… soon I’ll have enough vampires to take you down Anza, this I promise.” Charlie said in a low whisper.

…

Wake up.

Nate was suspended in a sea of blackness. Hot, cold, he could feel none of these things. It was as if all his senses were muted and the blackness claimed his body, mind, and soul.

Wake up.

Nate’s body jerked as the voice sounded in his head again. He didn’t know where the voice was coming from. If he believed in god he would’ve sworn it was like God was calling out to him.

Wake up. Wake up. Wake up…

His heart began to beat furiously as the voice became more incessant. For some unknown reason fear began to grow in his heart making his adrenaline race. He swallowed a mouthful of saliva as sweat began to trickle down his body. He wanted to do something, anything. But his body was suspended in mid-air in a sea of blackness.

WAKE UP!

Nate was jerked from that black sea and back to the mortal world. As he opened his eyes the first thing he noticed was the pain surging through his body. The second thing was the puddle of blood he was lying in. The third thing was the windows of his apartment being shattered as ghostly forms burst in.

Suddenly someone came from behind him and stood between him and the ghostly forms. That person slowly shrank and turned into a silver werewolf with blue lines streaking throughout its body. Nate realized it was Aidan who stood before him.

Aidan’s lips were curled back, baring his sharp teeth. His hackles were raised and his posture looked as if he was about to pounce. Though the most intimidating thing about Aidan were the blue lines that coursed through his body like spidery-veins. The blue lines were pulsating 100 times per minute as if it was in tune with his heartbeat.

Nate couldn’t help but think he was still sleeping. All this seemed so surreal that he found it hard to believe. Ghosts suddenly bursting into his apartment? Here in Black Watch Asylum. Although it wouldn’t be the first strange thing I’ve seen in this place. Nate thought to himself as he recalled the werewolves and vampires.