Marvel - Soul Reaver

Smells of bacon, eggs, and maple syrup pulled me from my slumber. I opened my eyes, reminding me that I was in a stranger's home. I saw Brielle preparing plates, glancing at me as I peeled off the couch.

"You still eat, right?" she asked.

"I haven't eaten any real food in days." I watched Brielle step over, placing a plate for each of us on the glass table. Syrup was dribbled atop French toast, encircled by scrambled eggs and bacon.

"Some vampires eat their favorite foods for the taste even though it doesn't feed them. Since I'm only a quarter vampire, I can survive on food... but recently, it hasn't been enough. If I get even the slightest bit too hungry, my body thirsts for blood."

"I presume that is part of why you're looking for your father?"

Brielle nodded, taking a sip from a glass of milk.

"Partially. I'd heard that he didn't drink blood. I want to learn how he fends off the hunger."

Though my body was still full from last night's souls and I lacked the natural hunger for human foods, I took a combined bite of toast, eggs, and bacon. I wasn't any more sustained, but the experience was still satisfying due to the flavor. I understood why vampires chose to eat food for the novelty of it. It's just like how humans eat sweets without the purpose of getting full. 

"The food tastes, great. Thank you, Brielle."

"Consider this a thanks for last night." Brielle shoved a full fork's worth of food in her mouth, then glanced at me. "Hey, I didn't say anything weird, did I?"

If she had no memory of the night before, there was no need to remind her of her words, so I lied. "Not particularly..."

"Good. I heard I get a little too personal when I'm drunk."

"Well, our drunken conversation compelled me to think about how those mysterious clubs that sell human blood came to be."

"Really? What did you come up with?"

"Humans are second-class citizens, you and I know this. Still, some laws protect them. Vampires are not allowed to kidnap, enslave, or torture humans. However, I'm certain that there are vampires who break these rules, correct? Consider this, you're a white-collar man who was taken by vampires. A body isn't found, so you are classified as missing. But if you are homeless... no one will ever know you're missing. No one will look for you. No trace is left behind. That is why my brothers and sisters who left the orphanage and lived on the streets disappeared without a trace. They were taken, thus allowing vampires to bypass those laws against the cruel treatment of human beings. If I'm correct... I hate to say it, but I imagine human farms exist somewhere in the state..."

"Holy shit..." Brielle's widened eyes trembled the further I explained my theory. I'd hope these theories were nothing more than dark concoctions created by my mind -- incorrect prophecies created by a disdain for vampires. However disgusting the concept of human farms may be, I needed to find out if I was correct in my assessment, so I devised a plan.

"Since I lack the smell of a vampire, I'll pose as a homeless man in the human slums. Vampires tend to stay away from those areas due to the low population of humans; I'd imagine they'd prefer the blood of those with better diets as well. There have even been rumors in the human world suggesting that those with 'higher quality blood' were at most risk of vampire attack. That leaves only one type of vampire to lurk on those streets..."

"The one's potentially running these farms?" Brielle asked.

"Yes. As for why they would want low-quality blood, I have no idea. I guess we'll find out."

After our breakfast, Brielle and I exchanged numbers and I returned home. It wasn't until I sat in my bedroom that I realized how much I'd appreciated her company. I'd been on my own for such time, that I'd forgotten what it was like to be in another's presence. However, that yearning for her company turned to contempt -- I realized I was longing for a vampire.

How does she induce this hatred within me to dissipate with her presence? Is it her humanity? It can't be, she still looks vampiric -- red eyes and all. Perhaps my loneliness is what compels me to seek fellowship amongst demons.

Nightfall came and I sat outside an abandoned liquor store in the slums. My breath fogged as it dissipated between my lips. Brielle was hidden nearby, but I couldn't see her. If I could not find her, knowing she was lurking, she was well hidden from the oblivious. 

Interestingly, I wasn't attacked or stalked by vampires to my knowledge. It seemed humanity's theory about blood quality may have been correct.

After some time, a truck stopped before me, its driver hanging his arm out the window. His demeanor was unsettling; his smile was manufactured and malicious. To someone desperate, it may have been inviting. 

"You hungry, young man? It's cold out here. I could get you someplace to stay for the night. Something to eat." He beckoned me with a warm, magnetic voice. I'd mentally rehearsed scenarios while waiting there. I didn't want to arouse suspicion by agreeing too quickly, so I feigned hesitation.

"That's alright. I've made it on my own this long. I can last one cold night."

That artificial grin dilated; right then, he knew I was the perfect target. 

"We run an organization to help people get off the streets. We could find you some work. It's dangerous out here on your own, you know? I'd hate to find your corpse with bite marks on the neck. Just come check it out. If you don't like it, you can always leave."

Mt stomach growled; my hunger for souls had begun for the night. "Do you... do you guys have burgers? I haven't had one in so long."

"We can get you a burger, son. Come on. Hop in."

I played my role, getting in the back seat of his truck as if I were a weary hitchhiker. When I closed the door, it locked instantly. If I were a human still, this metal box on wheels may have been my tomb. As a wraith, however, this tomb would not be mine if need be,

I constantly checked behind us as we drove for over half an hour, occasionally catching glimpses of Brielle tailing us. All was going according to plan.

The truck stopped in front of a massive warehouse, reminiscent of homeless shelters I'd stayed in before I became a store clerk. I followed the driver toward the building, looking up at Brielle who perched atop a corner of an adjacent building, using shadows as cover.

The man and I entered the building, revealing its complete emptiness. I stopped for a moment, compelling the man to turn to me, no longer hiding his vampiric features. 

"Come now, don't be scared. The shelter is just below this floor."

"And why is that?" I asked him, feigning skepticism. 

"Of course, vampires periodically check buildings such as these. Upon seeing that this floor is empty, they leave."

"So you hide underground? Smart," as I said this, my stomach roared at the presence of both human and vampire souls just beneath me.

"We're almost there, my friend. Just a little bit longer..." 

We approached a series of switches, and when flipped in a certain order, they revealed a hatch leading to the floor below. The design of this operation was of genius creation. Say the authorities were to stumble upon this place during the day, they would believe it to be nothing more than an empty warehouse. Simultaneously, if underground, the vampires could continue their plans without the worry of daylight entering through the skylight.

Once we reached the bottom of the steps, I felt the blood in my system run cold. There was a long hallway that led to a door, just behind it, I could hear human screams and moans. We continued onward, and like a gentleman, he opened the door for me. I stepped inside and my heart sank.

Humans were attached to machines, each one seemingly recording their biological date, checking their blood for nutrients. I could tell by the looks of them that these people were homeless, drug addicts, or both. 

Everything clicked into place now. They kidnapped those of lower quality blood, then fed them to become of higher quality. I could only assume that they would then sell them to the highest bidder.

For a moment, I thought how could a person be foolish enough to ignore all the signs and follow them down here? Ignorant, those thoughts were. These people were desperate, such that I imagined many of them knew this was too good to be true and sought death as a release. Instead, they became slaves.

My body trembled against my will -- my blood boiled. The deeper I dive into this rabbit hole of vampiric culture, the more I want them erased from existence. 

"You are vile..." I said through clenched teeth as the man locked the door behind me.

"Is that so? If anyone's vile, it's you and your kind. The scent of your blood disgusts me more than any other's."

"Right, you believe me to be human, don't you?" I removed my hood and my hat, revealing my face to the man. I figured since I'd grown so popular, vampires would recognize me and I was right.

"You're... Him..." 

"I see my reputation proceeds me. So you are aware of what happens next, yes?" I drew my Sarafan blade, pointing it at my enemy. "A vampire once told me that she feeds out of necessity, not enjoyment. But I will enjoy eating your soul!"

"He's here!" My would-be assassin yelled.

"Blade!?" I heard another say.

"No... The Soul Reaver!"

Lunging at my enemy, I wrapped one hand around the handle with my palm on the pommel, thrusting it into his heart. Somehow, he lived, but not for much long. I drove my fist through his chest, grabbing his soul with my bare hands before casting his body aside. 

I tiled my neck and ate the soul in a single swallow, exhaling upon feeling sustained. 

The others hissed, entering defensive stances. I counted ten, all wearing medical gear as they played doctor. 

One of them decided to try and face me, but I sliced her head off with one clean slash. As if her neck was a cup, I tilted her body to pour her soul into my mouth before throwing her body into my next target.

He caught the corpse, and with his hands full, he failed to defend himself from my blade impaling both bodies through their hearts. The man groaned, his soul leaked from his mouth into mine.

One of the vampires yelled as they attacked me with a scalpel. I weaved my head and the scalpel dug into the stone wall. I spun to gain momentum and stabbed him in the chest. From behind, I covered his mouth with my hand until I felt his soul in my grasp, then shoved it into my mouth. 

The rest of the vampires ran from me, unlocking the door and escaping. 

All but one.

I grabbed her by her ponytail and threw her to the ground, stabbing her hand and the ground beneath it, locking her in place.

"I need at least one of you alive! What's happening here!? Speak or I will eat your soul!"

"We're purifying humans with tainted blood! Then we sell it to clients!" she yelled, shielding herself with her free hand. I smacked it out of the way, grabbing her collar with a balled fist.

"Who's your client!? Is it Dracula!?"

"Our clientele is anonymous! We either deliver them to the address or they pick them up from the facility!"

"What about these humans!? Are they all going to the same place? Are they being picked up or delivered!"

"Same place! They're being delivered next week! Saturday night!"

"What's the address!?"

"I don't know! The client will have their own delivery service pick them up on that date!"

"Are there any other farms like this? And where are they!?"

"I don't know where the other farms are! All I know is that our client scheduled deliveries from all of them on the same night!"

"Is there anything else I should know?"

"The humans... We make sure that they don't suffer. I'm sorry. Please don't eat my soul."

"Just because they didn't suffer, doesn't make your actions any less despicable!"

"But... Don't you humans do the same with animals?"

"Yeah, animals! Not people!"

"What's the difference? We're all animals..."

I'd heard enough. My blade plunged into her heart -- then I did it thrice more. It wasn't until her soul seeped through her body that I stopped. My jaw started to unhinge, to consume that witch's soul, but then...

"So you're the dumbass running around fucking everything up for me." I heard a voice say from behind. I turned, and what I found before me was none other than the myth himself, Blade, blocking my exit with a bloodstained sword. It seemed those who had escaped me didn't get too far.

Like in legend, he wore all black -- his trenchcoat concealing guns and swords. Though his gaze was hidden behind his shades, I felt his eyes piercing my soul. 

I never noticed until now, but I could sense the souls within living beings. My adversaries prior were so weak, that it was unnoticeable. His soul, however, was powerful enough to send chills down my body.

"And you must be the deadbeat who abandoned his daughter."

"Life ain't that simple, kid. She deserves better than to be involved with my line of work. She for damn sure doesn't need to be involved with whatever the hell you're trying to rope her into."

"I didn't rope her into anything. She makes her own decisions. You've lost all right to dictate what she does."

"You watch your mouth! Motherfuckers like you piss me off. Just cause you're tough amongst weaklings, doesn't mean you're the shit."

I hate to confess this, but I was afraid for my life. The Soul Reaver was supposedly the most powerful weapon against vampires and I did not have it in my possession. I was unsure if the Soul Reaver would be enough to defeat someone with his reputation. Without it, I didn't stand a chance. 

Fear began to mingle with curiosity. Legends of Blade's past feats made me wonder if they were accurate or overblown. If he could take down Dracula, he would be the perfect benchmark of my strength. If I could fight closely with him, then perhaps I'd stand a chance against the King of Vampires himself.

"The vampires might fear you, Blade, but I am no vampire. Not in the traditional sense."

"And neither am I. Draw that Sarafan blade of yours. Show me what you got."

He knows about the Sarafan?

In previous battles, I would charge into the fight with my sword aimed at the hearts of my enemies. However, this time, I was certain that tactic would be suicide. Instead, I slowly approached the daywalker, watching as he drew his Japanese sword. His daughter stood behind him, pleading with him to spare my life, but she was ultimately ignored. 

Eventually, Blade and I were so close, that our swords crossed. I poised myself, watching for any sudden movements. I remember blinking, and in that moment, his pommel struck my nose and his boot collided with my chest, sending me crashing into a wall. 

I saw Brielle behind him still, watching me with empathic eyes... Seeing her looking at me like some weak, dying animal infuriated me -- not enough to make me lose my temper. 

As I stood, Blade showcased his speed, practically teleporting in front of me. With his arms behind his back, the daywalker barraged me with kicks. I could only dodge three of them before I was overwhelmed, being forced to block his attacks with my forearms. 

His physical prowess was miles ahead of any vampire I'd encountered and my guard was breaking. Blade spun his body, building enough momentum to annihilate my guard with a backside kick. 

His foot smashed into the bottom of my chin, throwing me in an upward arch. And before I could land, he stabbed me in the chest, skewering me to the wall. I dropped my sword, wrapping my fingers around the blade of his katana. As I did, he dug the blade deeper, drawing blood from within me. 

For the first time since becoming a Wraith, I bled -- I saw why my blood supposedly had a different smell. No longer did I bleed red as everyone else; my blood was blue, having a strange illuminating effect. 

"What the hell are you?" Blade questioned, holding his blood-stained hand to his face. 

Then I was reminded of a familiar feeling. My vision was fading, and I could feel my soul separating from my body. Once again, I was I found myself on death's front porch.