***MAJOR ANGST THIS PART***
I can't feel the way I did before
Don't turn your back on me, I won't be ignored
Time won't take this damage anymore
Don't turn your back on me, I won't be ignored
-Lyrics to 'Faint' performed by Linkin Park
Crimson Ties Part 59
Fear and panic quickly turned into primal instinct of survival for Anna.
Her blue-and-gold eyes narrowing heatedly on the monster before her, she spun on her heels and became a blur of herself to reach her duffle bag in the middle of the hallway before her stalker even had a chance to react. That brief moment gave the redheaded Infected all the time she needed to roll up the sleeve of her red sweater and reach into her bag to set her wrist-strap crossbow in place.
The Irish dame turned to raise her arm at her would-be-attacker and took aim with her weapon with a fire in her gaze. Donnie- he had burned it deep into her memory as he brutally took her against her thrashing will in her last moments as a human. She had hunted him down for years before she and her family had left Ireland. Now, he would suffer the same fate as his venomous friend that had permanently marked her in their last meeting.
Even from feet away, Anna could remember the crushing weight of the short-haired brunette when he drove her into the wet sand of the riverbed in the pouring rain. His smell was as assaulting as his smug smirk that never seemed to leave his face even when staring down the wrong end of an arrow tip. "Oh how cute," he snickered, shaking his head. "Ye didn't really think that I was really going te make this that easy, did ye, lass?"
In the blink of an eye, the whole world seemed to rain down in the appearance of dark-clad figures charging the scene from all around, crashing through the walls and jumping from the stairway.
Taken aback only briefly, Anna was right into the thick of defending herself. Not even really studying the first attacker that lunched for her with his hands raised, she leapt into the air to rest her hands on his shoulder. Quickly gripping the surprised assailant's head, she spun herself around with a shrill cry that hardly masked the sound of the neck snapping beneath her.
As the limp body fell away from her grasp, the Irish Infected used its back as a springboard to launch herself back through the air as she fired five arrows that hit their marks in piercing the five heads that were next in line of the charge for her. The edge that the surprise of her return attack gave was soon met with unexpected anomalies in the form of lightning bolts and flames shooting to claim her.
Just as the Vampire's feet touched the ground to tear away the left sleeve of her sweater and remove the dagger strapped to her arm, one of the largest of the trespassers clasped his hands together and fell to the ground to slam them into the floor. The impact made the whole estate shake on its foundation as though it were in the middle of an earthquake.
Stumbling to keep her balance, Anna was having as difficult a time with the dozens of creatures befalling her.
A few hits were taken, both from hand-held weapons as well as by dark forces the likes of which she had never seen, the redhead continued to shoot and stab her way through her challengers with skilled proficiency that only came from centuries of experience that were clearly lacking in her gifted attackers.
In the midst of the confusion, one of the brutes managed to take the Vampire from behind, slamming her through the wooden railing of the stairs. Only briefly stunned by the blow, the immortal spun herself in the arms holding her to press her back against the stairs beneath her and sink her fangs hard into the thick neck before she tore a large chunk of it away.
Pushing his body away, Anna kicked her legs up to slam her feet into the abdomen of the female that attempted to sail atop her with a jagged-edged blade that was aimed for her heart. The kick sent the blonde flying back as the Infected fired two arrows into her prone body.
Still, the battle continued with charge after charge from the threatening creatures. Holding her own against every attempt on her existence, the Infected never gave herself pause to allow more than a few blows and stabs get to her when she was occupied. Constantly moving, whether it be at her own devices or by force from her assailants, the fray had to work to keep up.
When the initial wave of assailants was disposed of, Anna panted heavily from her efforts and only then noticed that she had been pushed into her living room. All over the floor bloodied, dismembered bodies of young men and women lay sprawled out. Cracks in the ceiling and doorway left from the explosive powers unleashed nearly had the room torn in half.
As for the Infected's state, her loose, long hair was frayed at a few ends to give her ponytailed mane a wild look that matched her whole appearance. Her clothes were tattered and torn from the onslaught, revealing hints of the solid bodice of silver that hugged her torso underneath her sweater while her jeans had long holes where claws and blades had ripped through.
The dozens of exposed cuts and bruises that Infected had taken on her to her face and appendages were already healing rapidly.
Very cautiously, several more dark-clad beings crept into the doorway. Only then was the Irish Vampire able to notice the silver rings around their enraged eyes. Blinking in surprise, she regained her composure and matched their glares. Spinning the blood-covered blade in her left hand to grip its hilt, she raised her right arm to aim her crossbow at the lot.
"You all made a grave mistake coming here," Anna growled deeply. Fangs dripping with blood from the attackers that she had managed to bite, she smirked, "Come on. I'm only getting warmed up."
Behind the uncertain creatures, that haunting deep voice that had plagued her for centuries returned to chuckle deeply as a pair of hands slowly clapped. Turning their heads back towards the source, the band of gifted intruders parted so that Donnie could pass them to enter the living room.
Shaking his head in amusement, the imposing Vampire continued to applaud as he grinned, "Most impressive, darlin'. Ye put up a better fight than I expected." His hands lowering, he narrowed his golden eyes as he hissed, "But I grow tired of this."
Not about to miss out on an opportunity, the redhead's glare only heated on the monster before her and she moved aim for his head with her crossbow again. "That makes two of us," she snapped. "I'll be happy to meet the end of my existence knowing I took you out!" Her hand began to squeeze on her palm trigger.
"Then yer cousin will be quickly joining ye!" Donnie warned. Anna paused, eyes widening in panic as her enemy raised his arm out to the beings in the doorway. By that silent command, a young man and woman amongst the lot stepped forward with a beaten, frail form that they had to assist in keeping upright.
With a sharp cry that wracked from her chest, the Irish Infected's knees buckled as her fangs retracted. "Oh my God.... Midi," she breathed, voice hitching in a whimper. Seeing 'little mother' standing there, half-slumped forward with her arms bound behind her with glowing ropes and a gag in her cut mouth, the tomboy nearly came undone.
Slowly and with much effort, the brunette raised her head to reveal the healing cuts across her forehead and right cheek. Large tears were rolling from the brunette's reddened eyes when she looked on her cousin in sheer terror. A groan escaping her, Midi sniffled and shook her head in a heart-broken apology.
Closing her hanging jaw, Anna's raised arm fell at her side. "Let her go," she gritted at the smirking Vampire. Vain as the order might be, she couldn't not at least attempt to help her sweet cousin. "This is between us, or are you that scared of me that you have to resort to something as cowardly as this?"
Donnie's smile only grew as he replied, "Oh, but this little visit has to de wit ye 'n yer whole family, love. Yer 'mother,' here, just se happened te be the only one home when we showed. The rest of yer clan is a bit... preoccupied te be of any help now." Tilting his head, he glared anew at his prey, "And I will use any means necessary te get what I want."
A shudder running through her, the redhead swallowed roughly in only being able to guess what that was. There was no question in the way those green-and-gold eyes raked over her body that he had meant it when he said he was going to finish what he had started the night she was turned. Just the thought of that terrible experience threatened to tear her apart.
But as vile and distressing as what was no doubt in store for Anna, her foremost concern was Midi's safety.
Crossing the floor in a drawn out pace, Donnie stalked around the Irish girl to have a close look at her from every angle. Everything in his expression, the way he took his time and posture let on to just how much he was enjoying this moment.
"Oh, the hells that I have planned for ye. I can hardly wait to begin," he purred, running a hand up her side that left a tremor in its wake. Biting her lip, the tomboy continued to stare forward at her sobbing 'mother' as the monster at her back leaned in to smell her hair as his eyes drifted closed with a pleased hum.
His hand following him around the lithe Vampire until he was face-to-face with her, Donnie pulled his arm back. Grinning, he announced, "But first, we're going te have a bit of fun. See, me friends have been anxious to have a shot at our kind fer a long time. And ye get te be their first bit of target practice."
Anna's eyes darted from his face to look on the hungry, longing faces of the dark-clad creatures in the doorway. While their stares did not hold the same lust as their 'friend's', what they did hold for her was every bit as terrifying. Shaken as she was, however, the redhead made sure to not let it show as she peered back up at the tall Infected looming over her.
Fangs growing in, Donnie warned, "I do not need to tell ye that yer cousin's fate will be far worse if ye do not do exactly as I say... give us exactly what I want. Neither of ye will be seeing the morning rise again. However, I can make her end much more endurable. The longer ye stay alive 'n hold out fer me te enjoy some... personal time with ye, the less Midi has te suffer."
Shaking her head violently enough to free her mouth of the gag that had muffled her wails, the 'little mother' fought against the strong arms holding her. "Anna! Don't do it!" she screamed desperately. "We're dead, anyway! Please don't give into them!"
Blue-and-gold eyes locked on the cold eyes bearing down on her, Anna replied quietly and calmly, "It's not your choice, Midi." Her mind had already been made up the moment her cousin was in the picture. Only one of them had the opportunity to give them any kind of chance of making it out of this.
They needed time. Wufei, Heero, Duo and Trowa were away, but they might still be able to return before it was too late. All she had to do was give them long enough to swoop back in and come to their rescue. It was the one and only solution. Whatever it took, she simply had to stay strong and see that it worked.
And with that in mind, the redhead raised her chin as she declared flatly, "Fine. Tell me what I need to do." Midi whimpered as the half-dozen, silver-eyed beings around her blinked in shock that quickly became dark anticipation that practically had them trembling.
For Donnie's part, the pleased smirk on his face grew. Clearly, he had expected his prey to accept its fate and react as she had. Licking his lips as his fangs pulled back, his gaze covered her from head to toe before he stared back into her eyes. "Remove yer clothes," he commanded, the words coming out slow and rumbling with his desire.
Lowering her head, the family matriarch closed her eyes and sobbed quietly. Anna remained still and expressionless as she reached up and undid the belt buckle at her waist.
Silently vowing a thousand painful ends for the Vampire that she continued to stare at, she unfastened the button and drew down the zipper of her jeans. Kicking off her snowshoes and socks, she bent at the waist to strip down to her deep purple, lace panties and reveal her healed legs.
Anna straightened herself and pulled her torn sweater over her head, tossing it aside to join the rest of her clothes in a heap on the floor before she shed her crossbow and daggers that were strapped to her. Left in only the solid, corset of silver that shielded her from just above her breasts to her waist, the deep purple straps of her bra peeked out to wrap her shoulders. Donnie drank her in, whispering, "Very nice."
Her stomach churning, the Irish girl reached up to unlatch her corset from the side when the monster raised his hand and told her, "Leave it on just in case me friends get a little too ambitious. It would be a shame fer the fun te end too soon." The redhead's hands fell away instantly.
Peering over his shoulder at one of the female creatures standing by, the brute nodded his head and stepped aside. A malicious smirk curling her lips, the young woman reached up to lower her hood. At the sight of the short-haired brunette's face, both Anna and Midi's eyes grew in disbelief with sharp gasps. "S-Sharon?" the 'little mother' breathed at the human that they had believed to be killed at the hands of the Rogues.
Taken aback at her name, the girl turned her blinking silver-and-green eyes on the Vampire. But that surprise did not last long as the strange being glared on her target.
Quickly raising a hand, Berber's fingers sent off strings of electrified webs that tangled themselves around the redhead's wrists and ankles, spreading them out to each side and raising her arms overhead so that she was chained to the ceiling and walls with her body stretched out to form a perfect 'X'.
Crying out with the pain of being bound so tightly by the surge of white-hot energy that was burning into her flesh, Anna bit her tongue to silence herself. There was no sense in struggling against the restraints, their strength evident and their hold firm. Fighting against them would only tighten them, cause them to scorch her skin all the more.
Through all of the fear of what was to come, the Irish Infected still couldn't help but stare in shock at the mortal that her brother had identified in a lineup of victims that they had discovered. While there was the relief and excitement that Sharon was in fact alive and well, there was the panic of wondering what had actually happened to her... and most likely the other humans that had been believed as dead.
Spinning on his heels, Donnie faced his charges and raised a finger to call for their undivided attention. "No mortal wounds," he announced. "Should any one of ye come close to killing her, yer own existence is forfeit. Remember that yer master promised she's mine after ye Others have had your shots."
Heads nodded in solemn acceptance, not one of the beings looked particularly thrilled at not being able to destroy the Infected. But, they were compliant with the agreement that had been made. Content that his lot understood, the tall Irish brute stepped aside and casually lounged back in the nearby recliner. Folding his arms behind his head, he smirked, "Ye may begin when ready, then."
Midi let out a howl of pain when she was thrown to the floor so that the Others could fill the room. The six men and women created a wide ring around the prone redhead, their heated gazed running over their points of interest in where to strike.
It was a blond-haired girl at Anna's right that moved first, taking hold of the whip around her slender waist. As her hand held onto the grip, the weapon glowed with white heat that seared a deep gash in its wake when it snapped around the Infected's arm. Biting down hard on her tongue, the redhead stifled her cry.
When the coil slowly pulled away, it revealed the deep brown-and-red burn marks that it imprinted in her. In seconds, those burn marks began to heal just as a few sharp arrow points lodged into her shoulder blades.
Distraught, Midi curled her body and closed her watering eyes to keep the vision of her cousin being humiliated and treated in such a horrific way from her sight. The sickening sounds of the impacts and Anna's contained reactions of pain were difficult enough to have to bear.
"Take yer time," Donnie advised from his 'throne.' "Let the healing set in before ye strike again to prolong the game." His charges flashed brilliant smiles at that suggestion and they began to pace around their prey like vultures readying to swoop in on a wounded animal.
Closing her eyes, the redhead willed away the agony coursing through her. She thought of Wufei and how she needed to hold on if she ever hoped to be in his arms again. She thought of her brother, Heero, and how strong he was so that she could follow his example. She thought of Trowa and his quiet courage in light of any adversity that he came across.
And Duo... Anna thought of how her little brother needed all of the support of his family that he could have in this world that was ever changing for him as he learned his place in it. She had to stay alive for his sake.
More strikes came, slicing and burning through the Irish Infected's cold, exposed flesh. A hand came to roughly pull her hair free of its ponytail so roughly that she thought her roots were being ripped from her scalp just as a fist cracked against the side of her face. Not about to give them the satisfaction of crying or begging, her body tensed with her determination to endure whatever came.
Heal as she might, Anna knew that it would only be a matter of time before blood loss became a concern. Vampires could only endure so much when it came to being depleted of their life force. Eventually, she would become weak... broken... likely brought to the brink of death. But she would hang on for as long as she could, latch onto what strength she could.
All that she could hope was that Wufei and the others would return home before it was too late.
* * * * * *
Climbing the winding roads leading to Howard's base, Trowa gripped the wheel as his eyes narrowed on the metal doors that had been shredded and torn open. Just beyond the hole, dancing there was a distinct glow of flames. "Here we go," he muttered, shifting the gear of his car and slamming his foot on the gas.
Wufei unlocked his door just as they crashed through the remains of the door that was in their path and threw himself out of the vehicle to perch himself on the roof. In their descent inside the cavern, unsuspecting, dark-clad beings turned just too late before they were bashed into and knocked away.
Once the car reached the bottom of the incline, Chang unsheathed his sword and leapt off to meet with two assailants that were charging up. Meeting steel for steel and blow for blow, the scaly Infected snapped at the growling creatures in the midst of their battle.
Hurrying from the vehicle, Trowa bore his twin blades and joined in the engagement when what looked to be little more than a teenage girl rushed up to fire flames from her hands. Briefly stunned, the Latin Vampire reeled back just in time to escape harm and went for his challenger when the sound of another car was soon roaring into the scene.
All around, the flames that were glowing rose higher and higher along the walls of the facility. Every second, they inched closer to the display cases of weapons that filled the space. Time was not on their side, the Infected realized quickly.
Finally getting the better of his trouble, Wufei knocked back both of his enemies and slashed through their abdomens in one fast swipe. Hurrying past their falling bodies, he rushed for the back office as he yelled, "Howard!" Inches from the opened door, he was stopped by the presence of a tall young woman with long, blonde hair and silver-ringed brown eyes.
Eyes narrowing in a fiery glare, the Infected raised his sword at the unarmed being as she held her arms out at her sides. Only concerned with getting to the old man and getting him out safely, Chang let out a loud cry as he slashed at the girl. But where his blade would have made contact, it only met air, a ghost of a line that he drew through her fading to show that she was unharmed.
Gasping, the wide-eyed Infected held fell off balance, shouting, "What the hell!?" In his stumble backwards, the blonde completely materialized again and she lunged forward to take him to the ground as a couple of her accomplices joined in.
It was soon the hooded creatures that were surprised when every stab they made with their daggers and blades bounced off the Infected's skin. Using their shock to his advantage, Wufei spun and retrieved his sword to strike all but the young woman when her body disappeared once again.
Her strong arms still pinning the scaly Vampire down, she leaned close and purred, "Seems as though you've met your match, vermin." A sharp whistle had her head raising and gaze growing in finding herself staring down the barrel of a strange gun that she'd never seen.
"I wouldn't exactly say that," the redhead wielding the weapon hissed at the silver-eyed being. Pulling the trigger, he sent a blue laser that turned the screaming creature to ice, frozen as she was over Wufei before she completely fell apart into thousands of tiny ice shards.
Though his gaze was upside-down on the floor, Chang's eyes grew on the wielder of the weapon as he breathed, "Catherine." Quickly jumping to his feet, he hurried after his friend as she ran into Howard's office.
Once inside, the pair froze at the sight of the space. Shelving units had been knocked to the ground, desks were overturned... everything was in shambles. And from beneath one of the heavy metal pillars in the thick of the destruction, a pale and wrinkled hand lay limp on the floor.
Catherine gasped sharply and cried, "Grandpa!" Rushing forward, she began moving the strewn equipment out of her way with Wufei's help. When they reached the thick steel beam, the scaly Vampire grunted in the effort of lifting it high enough that the redheaded girl could reach the old man's shoulders to drag him out into the open.
Unconscious and mangled, Howard was nearly unrecognizable both without his glasses and as small as he appeared. Coughing violently, he sputtered up mouthfuls of blood. Whimpering, Catherine wailed, "Grandpa! Hang in there! We're going to get you help! You just hold on, ok... please?!"
Only adding to the horrific situation, the entire base shook with a massive explosion that rose from the weapons room.
Chang tossed the pillar in his arms aside and quickly stepped in to relieve the trembling girl. Scooping the lifeless man into his arms, the scaly Vampire urged the scientist's granddaughter, "We have to move. Now." With no mind for the tears running down her face, the girl nodded and turned on her heels to hurry for the door.
As soon as they were back in the display room, the pair ducked against the bright wall of fire that rose from another explosion that took out three long tables of guns and other artillery. In a flash, Wufei threw himself forward and turned his back as he huddled over both Howard and Catherine to shield them from the flames that danced towards them.
When the fire backed away, Chang's shirt had been completely burnt from his body. At the sound of a car's wheels screeching before them, the Vampire and his friend looked up as Trowa stood in the doorway of his car's driver's seat, yelling, "Let's get the hell out of here!"
Not needing to be told twice, Catherine sprinted for her own vehicle while Wufei all but leapt into the passenger seat of his cousin's car as the door was opened to him and Howard.
Their doors slamming, the drivers hit their gas pedals to scream out of the burning facility. Mere moments after reaching the outside world, the opening to the base was engulfed with flames as wave after wave of great explosions trembled the hillside.
"Fuck, fuck, fuck!" Trowa bellowed as he held tight to his wheel to steady his car as he followed Catherine down the twisting and turning road. Glaring ahead, he snapped, "I don't know what in the hell those things were, but they sure as shit weren't Rogues!"
Carefully shifting Howard in his arms, Wufei really took in the horrible shape that the living was in. Shaking his head, he frowned deeply, "We'll worry about that later. Right now, we have to get the old man help... fast." Biting his lip when he glanced over, Barton nodded his head and focused on the road.
* * * * * *
For it being dark, there sure were not a lot of lights on at the Maxwell orphanage or the rectory when Heero and Duo parked in the street before them. Blinking in confusion as he stared up at the stone buildings, the Companion thought aloud, "Huh... it's not even close to lights out time for the kids yet."
The thoughtful look that he found on Yuy's face when he turned to face him had the braided hybrid's blood turning cold. "Something's not right," the Vampire all but whispered. Reaching back to the duffle bag on the floor behind him, he slipped a hand in to retrieve a couple of glistening revolvers. "Stay here," he said quietly.
"Like hell I will," Maxwell growled. Taking hold of the long staff at his feet, he stated, "I'm going in with you."
Displeased as he was over the notion, Heero knew better than to argue. Stepping from the vehicle, he silently led the way to the back of the church.
TBC...
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