The Village Cafe

Sarah cautioned as she grabbed my arm and tore me through the crowd and out of the doors. A limo pulled up and the three of us got in. Rick, Belinda and Mortakie were there as the limo drove away.

  "What's the deal? I got him to confess!"

  "It's not that simple." Mortakie said taking hold of my hand, "Vengeance is not ours to take. Dine must be killed by the ones that he has done wrong."

  "Come again?"

  "We found the other victims of Dine." Belinda said as she lit a cigarette, "They were elders once. Some of the most powerful vampires that ever existed."

  "It seems Dine has been hunting them for quite some time." Rick continued, "He created a legion of vampires so vast that not even the strongest of vampires could fight them all off."

  "Why?"

  "Dine may be acting under the orders of a lower power." Mortakie continued, "There is too much to tell right now but it has begun."

  "What?" I asked.

  "Rick's returning here was not an accident but part of something much greater than all of us."

  "Mortakie, you're starting to freak me out."

  "What Mortakie is saying right now is not important. Belinda's situation is." "All right Rick. What's the plan?"

  "The sun will be up in about an hour. It is too late for them to come and look for you but rest assured they will hunt you down. You drove a stake through him." Rick said. "That was part of the plan. Don't tell me I did it just to piss him off."

  "The stake was for your protection if he tried to bite you." Mortakie said and stopped. He looked into my eyes, his dark orbs changed to a light blue. "You have tasted his blood and he has bitten you."

  "So?" I asked. Mortakie shot a look at Rick before his eyes returned to the darken pits they once were. Belinda spoke cutting the awkward silence in half.

  "The others are waiting for us at your apartment. When Dine comes for you tomorrow night we will be there to destroy him."

  "That's great and all Belinda but what if he comes with his crew?"

  "There are more of us that you and Dine don't know of." Belinda said.

  "Besides I will be there with Mortakie and the others. You are in no immediate danger."

  "Thanks for clearing that up Rick. I was getting nervous for a bit there."

  The limo dropped Belinda and I off. We entered my apartment where there were several other people seated on the couch and chairs waiting for us to return. They all rose as Belinda introduced them. Leviticus, Jacob, Athena, Tina, Miles and Marcus. We all talked for some time and I came to learn that these vampires were turned as far back as the 12th century. They each recapped the horrifying story of how they were drained by thousands of vampires and left for dead. I shivered from the chilling stories and lack of sleep.

  "Devilynn is tired. We will watch over you as you rest." I nodded at Belinda as I headed into my bedroom and collapsed. Belinda shook me awake around sunset.

  "It will be dark soon. You must hurry. Rick and the others are at a safe distance so they will not be sensed by the others." I nodded as Belinda left. Stretching I went and took a shower to wake myself up. I stepped out and dressed in a tank, jeans and sneakers. I put my hair up in a ponytail and sat on the couch. My stomach twisted into knots as the silence of the apartment echoed in my ears. Looking down at the table I saw a pack of cigarettes with a note attached to it. Belinda left them for me in case I needed to calm down. Laughing I took out a cigarette and lit it. Taking a drag I turned on the stereo and sat back down on the couch and waited. I closed my eyes for a moment trying to relax and that's when I saw the images. Dine and his crew were holding down Belinda as he tore at her clothes and sank his teeth into her neck. The other vampires sucked at her arms and legs like leeches. My eyes snapped open. Ditching out my cigarette I stood up and turned off the stereo.

  "You are a naughty one Devilynn." I turned to see Dine standing by the sofa.

  "I thought I killed you." Dine laughed as he lifted his black t-shirt to show me his chest. There was no wound there.

  "You missed the heart my dear." I ran for the door and was grabbed by my hair by Dine. I tried to fight him as he pulled me back to the sofa and threw me down. "I gave you a chance to join me now you will die."

  "This is your night to die, Dine." He turned to see Belinda standing in the doorway. "Belinda. You bitches don't die easily do you?"

  "You’re a sloppy killer and a stupid one."

  "So you've come all alone to kill me."

  "Of course. I thought it was a fair fight."

  "Baby, you know I don't fight fair." Dine grabbed me and held me in front of him with his fangs near my throat. Belinda entered the apartment and was hit from behind by Dine's buddies. She collapsed to the floor motionless.

  "Tie her ass to that sofa and wake her up. I don't want her to miss this." They obeyed and tied Belinda up before slapping her awake. Belinda opened her green eyes and looked up at Dine.

  "You should have stayed dead. Now you will watch as we drain your sister before killing you." Dine's fangs neared my throat then stopped as his men where tossed about one by one like rag dolls. He pulled his mouth away as the werewolves entered the living room. Belinda also transformed before our eyes into a she-wolf. They towered over us as they came near.

  "If you take one more step I will drain her blood."

  "You won't even have a chance to before we rip you apart." Belinda said as she lunged at us. I ducked and crawled away as they jumped at Dine and pinned him to the floor ripping him apart. The other vampires jumped on the wolves trying to pull them off of Dine but Mortakie’s vampires stopped them. I rose and backed away toward the door. A hand clamped over my mouth and pulled me out of the door.

  "Hush now my love, it's Rick." I let my body relax as he let go of my mouth. Turning I jumped into his arms and held him tight. He laughed and stroked my hair. "You are missing all the action. How will you finish the story unless you watch?" With my arms still clutched around his chest I looked back into the apartment. Mortakie and his followers killed Dine's men by breaking their necks and drinking their blood before staking them through the heart. The wolves still feasted on Dine. They pulled his arms out and chewed at his legs and throat. Muffled gurgles could be heard over the cracking of bones and the growling of the wolves. A few minutes later it was done. The wolves returned to human form. Mortakie's face froze as he looked at Leviticus and then at Athena.

  "Leviticus, Athena. For so long I thought." They walked over to Mortakie and Leviticus whispered in his ear. Athena kissed Mortakie's cheek. Belinda walked out to me.

  "I can't thank you enough Devilynn. Know that if you ever need me I will be there for you." I nodded and hugged Belinda. The other wolves came out and kissed my cheeks as they left. Some of them nodded at Rick before following Belinda out of the building. Mortakie walked up to me, his eyes were filled with sorrow.

  "We shall take care of this mess. In the mean time you can stay with Rick." I nodded as Rick led me away. I stayed the night at Rick’s apartment that was in the basement of the cafe. We talked for some time about our past together and how much fun we had. It was good to laugh again and think about the old days. Rick actually appeared human to me for some time. He kissed me good day as he left shortly before sunrise to go to bed. Smiling I looked down to my left and saw that my notebook was there with a pen marking the page I left off at. I spent most of the day writing everything down. I don't know why I did it but I guess as Belinda said; you can't escape fate, no matter how fast you run.