Thirty-Seven…

Thirty-Seven: Lost Souls

There are multiple POVs in this chapter.

Contains offensive language, as usual. Also has a really gross part…

The Dark Hero’s name was Hunter and he’d promised to help her.

But as the days wore on, there was no mention of his plans. Aubrey was getting really, really worried.

Really.

Finally, that dreaded day arrived.

The witch worked in a room inside the underground network of tunnels. She prepared the mixture that would force Aubrey to fall in love with Jakub. 

…or at least make her horny enough to have sex with him.

She gently blew on the concoction and a bright, fiery substance floated into the air.

The witch poured the liquid into a crystal goblet.

A fireball erupted from the potion, as a holographic rose flickered from its core.  

“It’s finished,” she said to herself.

“But I think I added too much of a certain ingredient.”  

Minutes afterward, Aubrey grasped the stem and took a sip. It tasted like… shit.

“How is this stuff supposed to work?” she asked glaring at the nasty green crap.

“A minute or so after drinking it, the first person you see you’ll become infatuated with.”

She stared at him a moment. “But the first person I see will be you.”

“I’m going to step behind the chair so you won’t see me. Jakub will be in soon,” he said, his tone rising.

That’s good, because I don’t think even the most powerful potion in the world could get me to love you again, she thought.

“Now drink!” he shouted.

“Hurry up. Drink every bit of it,” he ordered.

Aubrey gulped it down. Like strong liquor, it burned her tongue and throat.

She finished it. Nausea turned her stomach and she choked back the urge to vomit.

“Sit in the chair,” he said.

She sat. Anxiety ripped a hole in her stomach. Her heart pounded like a hammer on a nail.

Nice simile. Reminds me of what Jakub is about to do: pound ME like a hammer on a nail, Aubrey thought.

Meanwhile, Hunter finished eavesdropping on Aubrey and Shawn’s conversation.

He started down the tunnel. Jakub headed from the opposite direction.

Hunter’s red eyes bored into Jakub.

“I know what you’re up to, and it’s not going to work,” Jakub said.

“You don’t know jack shit.”

Jakub smirked.

The usual stare-down ensued…

Nobody won the competition.

“Get out of my way,” Jakub said. “I’m going to get a nice piece of mortal ass.”

Now the gloves were off.

Both vampires snarled like beasts, throwing random hits and punches.

“What the hell’s going on out there?” Shawn muttered.

Aubrey wondered the same.

Hunter gouged Jakub’s face as the other vampire groaned and writhed against him.

The two immortals fought their way to Aubrey’s tomb.

Aubrey sat rigidly in shock, watching them.

Hunter shoved Jakub further into the room.

“Suck me,” Jakub growled.

Laughter escaped Shawn.

Scuffling, they got dangerously close to Aubrey.

Hunter lost his balance. He toppled over Jakub and both immortals fell on Aubrey, knocking her to the ground.

“Oh shit!” Shawn said looking down.

What happened next reminded one of that scene from The Exorcist…

Love-potion-vomit spewed from Aubrey’s lips, shooting straight at Jakub and Hunter.

Instinctively, both vampires licked their lips, chin, and wherever else their tongues could reach… as if they hadn’t yet realized it was puke.

Either way, it was too late.

Jakub and Hunter retched but didn’t throw up.

Then all three gazed at one another.

The feeling that swelled within Aubrey was uncomfortable. It was agonizing.

She wanted them both… very badly. She did not relish this new feeling.

“Get off me,” she said shoving Jakub.

She would not give in to those feelings induced by the witch’s brew. At least not yet.

As she stood, she could see the very same thing in their eyes. Apparently they’d ingested just enough of the fluid to affect them too.

What fresh hell is this? Or could it be heaven? Depending on how one looks at it.  

For five minutes they stared… almost forgetting about Shawn.

Hunter finally glanced past Aubrey.

Shawn had a horrified look on his face.

Ten minutes later, Shawn was tied up next to the skeletons.

“Please, Aubrey. Help me!” he whined yanking at the ropes.

She nearly felt sorry for him.

Ignoring Shawn’s echoing screams, Aubrey, Jakub and Hunter left the pit of hell.

The trio ran across an old bridge, its splintering boards threatening to collapse at any second.

“Where are we going?” Aubrey panted.

Hunter stopped. “I have no idea,” he said. “All I know, is that we aren’t safe anywhere.”

Yeah. No shit.

“I’m not safe because the Shadows are after me. You’re not safe because you betrayed your clan. Jakub’s not safe because I think Vaclav plans to kill him… which I can’t blame him for that.”

Jakub grimaced.

“In other words, we’re all completely screwed.”

“Yes.”

“I’m even afraid to go back home. What if one of them gets me there? Actually I don’t care about myself. I’m afraid for my kids.”

“Let’s have sex.”

“Um, I don’t think this is the time to be discussing that.”

Jakub drew up behind her.

“God,” Hunter said. “I’m so sorry about that. I—I didn’t mean to say that.”

“It’s okay. Can we just keep walking?”

Jakub’s hands slid up Aubrey’s waist from behind. She brushed them away.

“Yeah. Let’s go,” Hunter said.

“I love you Aubrey,” Jakub sang.

They journeyed on.

Aubrey stayed as far away from them (and temptation) as possible.

“Look at that. A whole shit-load of that love potion stuff,” Hunter joked.

“Yeah. Why don’t you ask Aubrey to go for a swim?”

Hunter laughed.

Aubrey rolled her eyes. Just minutes before they were fighting, now they acted like the best of friends.

An hour later they came upon a wooded area.

Thick fog enclosed the landscape. Aubrey struggled to see beyond the cloak.

Several more paces ahead, a rustic cabin greeted them.

Hunter kicked in the door. It projected across the room and slammed into the far wall.

Dirt floors completed an interior that left much to be desired.

“It’ll do for now,” Hunter said looking around.

They sat down and talked about what to do next. Of course, Aubrey was the vampires’ main focus.

Then Hunter asked a horrific question.

“Will you let me feed from you?”

“Yeah. Me too,” Jakub chimed in.

Soon, Aubrey would understand why it was best that Hunter didn’t get too hungry…

                                                            ****

Thanks for reading! ☺ btw: Jakub helped to tie up Shawn because he thinks he’s in love with Aubrey, and wanted to help her out for a change.  😛

Chapter 38 will be posted this Friday, and I’ll do one more chapter for the following Monday; every chapter thereafter will also be posted every Friday.  🙂

One more thing: the broken furniture in the cabin was created by the talented Sim Romanov. 🙂    http://srsdeepthoughts.blogspot.com/2010/12/more-broken-mansion-furniture-cc.html