Sylvie

Skittering off like a little insect, Kerry started laughing. “Tease.  So glad you didn’t say balls.”  Not hearing anything from his companion, Kerry called out as well. “Ray-Ray, stop being gay and get out here.”

Other than the sound of the smelly water passing below them, The two vampires didn’t hear the commotion that had gone on behind them in the tunnel.  It was only when Ray’s head came rocketing out of their makeshift tunnel and splat against the far wall, did Jester take notice. “Oh, Holy Fuck!” the elder vampire pointed down the sewer tunnel, “Kerry, run…don’t stop.  Get to our house, I will try and lead these fuckers away…buy you some time.  Get the god damned bloodstones.”

Quickly dropping from the ceiling and into the muck and garbage water, Kerry took off running the fastest he could, making a direct line to their home.  “Good luck Master.”  Was the last thing Kerry told Jester and disappeared from view.

Jason went back to the entrance of the tunnel and peered into the partly lit shaft and saw what he counted were five pairs of hate-filled diamond eyes, complete with a shadow attached to them that never seemed to settle on a particular form. “Come on you bastards, come get me.”

Happy to comply with its target,  the lead shadewraith formed a mouth from its black cloud that had two rows of silver and white fangs and crunched the sharp teeth together and deeply laughed. “Yes, nightstalker..run.  We can smell it..”  The others cackled and swirled forward, “...Your fear, uncertainty…We will awaken your darkness…one touch…one delicious grasp…”

Jester did a backward flip from the side of the wall and landed on his feet in the sewage, prepared to run as hard as he could.   While the lead shadewraith did come after him, he watched two of the five split off and go in the opposite direction. “Shit!”  Cut off from the ability to chase after Kerry, the master vampire waited until the three ghostly creatures were nearly on top of him before he forced as much blood as he could into his legs and took off fast enough to create a small pop where he’d broken the sound barrier.  Blood-fueled and non-tiring, Jester smiled as he let the free feeling of using his abilities permeate through his body.  He glanced over his shoulder and to his surprise he found that the shadewraiths weren’t anywhere to be seen.

-Finally.  Okay, let’s zigzag our way to the house and see if my wards were able to get the stones.  Ray needs justice.

Aware that his blood level was draining at the break-neck speed he was running, Jason stopped devoting blood to his pace, and slowed down significantly and held the pace a little faster than the best long-distance runner.  Not sensing the swirling eyes behind him, Jester pulled out his phone and called one of his wards. “Come on Aaron, pick up…”  Jester came to a corner and heard voices.

“Yo, whats up Jester?” Aaron asked casually, “I am on Belvedere Road, I found this rock shop, called “Free the mind, repair the body.”  He laughed, “There are probably a thousand polished bloodstones here.”

“Aaron, I need a way out of these fucking sewers.”  Jester attempted to whisper.  Peering cautiously around the corner, Jester counted a five-man team working on a few of the pipes that had rusted. “Damnit..open cover and sunlight.”  Jester grumbled and flopped back against the dark wall.

“What was that grumble for?  Do you want me to get these stones, or no?”  Aaron asked impatiently. “I am damned hungry, boss.  The others rolled me out of the bunk, so I am not in the best mood.”

Taking that as a hint for assistance, Jester focused on his ward and then spoke calmly into his phone. “Aaron.  You and I do not have time for this, put your foul demeanor aside and assist your master and your brothers-in-arms.”

Taking a breath loud enough for Jason to hear, when Aaron spoke again his voice was a bit dull. “Yes, Master.  I will use the cash and get all of the stones.”  He paused, “How can I assist you, Master?”

 “Get me the fuck out of this sewer, how’s that?”  Jester growled and peeked back at the five-man crew working. “I am under West Main.  There’s a repair crew here, sunlight everywhere.”  When a prickly feeling made the hair on Jester's neck raise, he spun around and saw nothing..just the same darkness that he’d been running through. “Anyway, you have the blankets and the car, right?”

“Yes, master.  You order us to keep the blankets and black tent in the trunk.”  Aaron calmly responded.

“I know the store you are in, Aaron.  Get the damn rocks and come get me.  It's two turns and you’ll see the orange work signs.  Black out the cover and I can jump up and roll into the car.”  Jester clasped his hands together and pressed them to his forehead. “I’ll do what I can to keep these Shadewraiths off of me.”  Once Jason disconnected the call, he got as close as he could to the junction corner so he could sprint, jump and almost fly in one fluid move.

Moments later the damp air seemed to go still and Jason watched the water freeze all around him.  Seeing nothing behind him or in front of him, Jason slowly looked up and to his horror saw three sets of diamond eyes.

“This nightstalker is young.”  A shadewraith commented aloud for Jason to hear.  Releasing itself from the ceiling it dove down and grabbed Jason by the throat before the vampire could react. “Slow as well.”

Another shadewraith interrupted the first, and reached for Jason's arms, intent to pull them off. “No, it’s just weakened…look at his red eyes.  It hungers like we do.”  

When the last shadewraith descended into the mix, it waved the other two off. “Leave the shell intact.  Let’s just free his Shadewraith to ascend into its body.”  It laughed and formed a wicked misty hand and circled it around Jason’s face. “Oh, how beautiful.  Yours…it has driven you close to madness.  One step at a time.”  It slid its creepy fingers over Jester's cheeks, leaving black oily spots behind that burned the vampire's skin. “How many have you killed in its name?”  The third shadewraith laughed and saw the fear in Jason’s eyes appear, feeding it. “There we go.”  It motioned to one of its companions and it produced a long and fork prong stake. “Thank you…”  Forming another three arms and three hands, the shadewraith drew back with the wooden trident and plunged it through Jester’s chest, taking his heart as it exited Jason’s back.

Crying out in immense pain, Jester fell to his knees and then forward, impaling himself further. “Where…are…you, Aaron??”  Jason barely whispered.  Much to his surprise, the five workers came running around and saw the injured vampire. 

“What the hell?”  The first man jumped in front of Jason and lifted his head, with the vampire’s eyes stoically looking blank.  

“Dude.”  The second worker commented and threw up when he spotted the heart-draining bluish blood all over the ground.

The other three approached with much more caution, and only looked around.

The first worker went to the man retching and pushed him to the others. “We need to get out of here and call the police.”

“Should one of us stay with the…body?”  One of the three gulped nervously.

The lead shook his head, “That would be stupid.  Let’s let the cops handle this.”  he motioned for the five to head up the ladder.

Fueled by the fear of the five men, the shadewraiths howled and clicked their teeth a second before their hate-filled diamond eyes settled on the five men. “Five shells…Panic, fear, uncertainty…these primates are a fine meal.”  Laughing with the first shadewraith the other two dove straight into the men and disappeared.  Seconds later, two of the men were devoured and left as split puddles of skin and debris in the shitty sewer.