Chapter 72

I growled, slamming my fist into his jaw as the rage that plagued my mind took over, gripping me as though it had it’s own mind and body, taking over mine as I fought to calm it. His head snapped to the side, proving that I was stronger than before though I also knew that should I fight, I would lose. He was much more powerful than I could ever be. He had been around long before me or my father, perhaps long before the kingdom was even built.

Mortem growled, clutching my wrist tightly as I moved to strike again, unable to control the rage that burned through me. I didn’t feel like myself, I didn’t feel able to control anything, not my strength, not the way I moved and not how I felt. He tilted his head to the side, easily lifting my petite frame from the ground, flinging me across the dining room as I gasped. I spun in the air, easily gaining control of my form as a red haze trespassed into my vision, a snarl bursting through my clenched jaw.

I landed with precision and purpose, quickly jolting into action as the immortal creature slipped into a defensive stance, readying for my attack. Yet, that did not faze me , I was ready; I had to make him pay. Crying out in a rage that I had never felt before, I lunged at the man, crashing my foot into his side as he let out a yelp of pain. The echoing snap of bones breaking filling the otherwise silent room.

“Sanctus stop.” He warned, catching my hand when I moved to punch him in the chest. “You cannot fight me.”

I tilted my head back, laughing deeply. “Oh but I can.” I said in a voice I didn’t recognise as my own, the sound primal and vengeful.

I ducked down when he reached out to grab my neck, easily freeing my hand from his grasp as I dodged his next attack, his fist connecting with the brick wall just behind me. He growled in anger, unable to understand how I had avoided his ambush, red flecks appearing in his eyes as he moved to strike me again, my movements faster than anything I had ever been capable off; blurring to the other side of the room in a second. Mortem spun around to face me just in time to see my next attack coming, my foot slamming into his crotch as I smiled, summersaulting backwards when he reached out to grab me.

“I am warning you, stop this now!” he ordered, gasping slightly as a searing pain shot through him, my attack leaving a new feature on his face. One I had not seen before, he was nervous. Worried that I would be able to match him.

I tilted my head once more, growling viciously as he began to back away, his nervousness only fuelling my rage as I rushed towards him spinning in a tight circle before smashing my fist in the side of his head, knocking him of balance, I lifted my body and kicked him whilst I was in mid air, his large form spiralling across the table as it’s contents smashed into the floor, shattering the plates and glasses.

I smiled triumphantly as blood trickled down his face, crossing my arms in defiance as I thought of my next move. Of how I would kill him. I took a deep breath, not that I needed the air, my lungs now worked without it, I had no need to breathe, I had no need to blink. He was right, I was stronger, before I wouldn’t have stood a chance against him. But now I had him confused and nervous, he knew deep down that now I could take him in a fair fight. That I could even win should I catch him unaware.

A strange scent approached me, my fangs snapping out from somewhere in my gums, I closed my eyes, slowly licking my lips as it smelt so succulent, it was something I had never smelt before, something that I wanted more than defeating the tyrant king. I followed the smell, dropping down to knees when I knew I had found it, I leaned forward, savouring the air before slamming my teeth into the source. The fresh blood oozed down my throat, the taste sweet and welcoming to my starving form, I had never tasted anything as extravagant, each sip of the thick liquid a pleasant surprise to my pallet, I dragged the source closer to me, draining it until their was nothing left, until I could take no more from the empty vessel.

I sighed happily, shaking from pleasure as I opened my eyes, wanting to see the source of my newly found obsession. I licked what was left of the dripping liquid from my mouth, my form convulsing as I looked down; the red haze that plagued my vision quickly dissipating.

I gasped, my hand flying to cover my mouth as I realised what I was doing, my hands coated in the blood of my guardian, I had left nothing in his veins. I had greedily taken it all, draining him dry. But how could I have not noticed? I probed the fangs that pressed into my lips, terror-stricken as it cut deeply into my hand, what was happening to me? Why couldn’t I control myself?

I would have never imagined attacking anyone, I wasn’t a monster, yet I had taken what was left from his body with so much greed that I barley recognised who I was becoming. I had attacked the tyrant king! I had made him bleed, surely now he would kill me! Mortem did not stand for such things, I had seen first hand what he did to those that betrayed or angered him.

Mortem laughed from somewhere behind me, moving with immense speed and he ripped me from the ground, slamming me again the nearest wall by my throat. My eyes widened as I remembered everything I had done, as though my mind was too slow to follow the movements of my own body when I became angry. I knew that their would be a dire consequences, that I would pay for striking him. He smiled at me as I shook in his grasp, awaiting my punishment, how could I have been so stupid? Had all I lost all common sense? Had my humanity left me completely?

“I should have warned you that new born vampires have an insatiable bloodlust, it is rather hard to control.” He mused, carefully placing me back onto the ground.

I sobbed, looking back at the mangled body of my guardian, he was barely recognisable, if I hadn’t have known for sure it was him. There would be no way of ever identifying him. “Why have you done this to me?” I asked softly, feeling as though all my energy had been sapped.

“Because now I can control and monitor your every move.” He said slowly, his smile intensifying as a searing hot agony began to slither into my chest.

I dropped to my knees, unable to stop the scream that burst from my throat, my hands flying to my chest as I clutched and scratched at it, panicked as I tried to find the source. I had never felt anything quite like the pain that now shot through me, my mind screaming at me to make it stop to find the source and destroy it. Only, I couldn’t move, my body crashed into the hard floor, my eyes clenched shut. I trembled worse than I had ever done before, tears of pure anguish pooling against my cheeks.

“What’s happening?!” I cried, withering on the ground.

“It is our bond, you have attacked your maker. Now you must pay the consequences. You cannot fight me Sanctus, I have full control over you.” Mortem spoke with a pride I had never heard, he was pleased that I was experiencing so much anguish, that I couldn’t move; nor lift my head to look at him.