Burning Blood

Smoke licked at Faer's face as he entered the packed car lot. The deep red fog almost blended with the tint that covered his darkly tanned skin. His eyes, faintly glowing orange, scanned for Kaori's vehicle. He walked through the parked cars, searching for the right one. Heat given off by his body fogged up windows as he passed. Faer looked over the expensive cars. He glanced at the fogging windows and the residual heat left behind by their human owners.

'That's it.' Faer took the last drag off of his cigarette and flicked it. Again the black flame flared and consumed the filter. He jumped and silently landed on the roof of a car. Pulling his hair out of his face he closed his eyes and took a deep breathe. A light orange mist blew out of the nose as he exhaled. The same orange mist flowed off his eyes as he opened them. The deep orange glow from before had returned.

Faer glanced from car to car. 'One heat signature. Three. Two. There.' A '08 Ferrari parked under a street light. He jumped from the roof of the car where he stood and landed next to the crimson red sports cars. Heat from the engine but none from the interior made it easy to spot Kaori's car. 'How predictable. A red car for a leech.' Faer thought to himself as he looked over the car. Vampires don’t give off body heat. He remembered how cold her marble hard yet smooth skin felt against his.

Faer's thought were violently interrupted by a massive explosion. Glass and metal shards bounced off of him tearing his clothes. He was engulfed in flames as he bounced off car after car before crashing through the club wall. A woman screamed and the music cut off. Many of the ravers stared at Faer still covered with small fires and rubble. Several men rushed to him. They tried franticly to put out the fires.

"Jesus! Did you see that?"

"What the fuck happened?"

"Hey man, are you alright?"

"Don't fucking touch me!" Faer barked pushing the men off. They fell several feet before hitting the floor. Faer pulled himself to his feet patting out the remaining fires. Blood trickled from the corners of his mouth. A lone bloody tear rolled down his cheek. His shirt and the left leg of his denim pants were burnt and torn off from the explosion. His bare skin was covered in ash, scorch marks, and bright red tribal tattoos.

"He doesn't have any cuts."

"Shut up, Amy."

"Look! He doesn't!" Faer's eyes no longer glowed a deep orange. They burned a crimson red. Matching smoke bellowed from them as well. He wiped the blood from his face and reached for his cigarettes.

"Oh god damn it!" Faer's voice echoed over the crowd. The cigarettes were in his left pants pocket. Heat poured off of his body. Reaching its limits, the sprinkler system burst to life. Water poured down from the ceiling soaking everyone except Faer. The water sizzled and evaporated as it touched his super heated skin. Steam rolled over his body and floated upward. People began backing away slowly. The look of shock and fear covered their faces.

Faer began making his way to the opened he left in the wall. Pools of water boiled as he stepped through them. Nearing the hole he broke into a sprint. A low growl building in his throat began to rumble through his lips. As he exited the building, he leaped into the darkness of the night.

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"What do you mean the mission failed?" Centuri screamed into the phone. "There were three of them. She's a god damn fledgling!" He threw his glass across the room. The thick red liquid splashed over the wall and dripped slowly to the floor. Terrors swept over his face as he listened to his thug explain what happened.

"Is everything ok Mr. Centuri?" A vampire dress in a three piece suit stood half in the door.

"Lock this place down! Pull everyone back and arm them! Get my helicopter ready!" Centuri's voice broke as he barked his orders. He franticly began gathering documents. "He's coming."

"Who's coming sir?"

"Why are you still standing there?" Centuri screamed as he reached into his desk and retrieved and police issue Beretta. "Yes Mr. Centuri." The subordinate disappeared from the opening. Centuri checked the clip in his gun. 'This won't stop him.' He thought looking at the bullets. 'An army can't stop him.' A distant scream sounded from outside Centuri's estate. He turned and stared out the window behind him. Red lights began to flash on and off. A voice came over a loud speaker.

"All guards report to the manor! I repeat! All guards report back to the manor!" Centuri spotted a pair of burning red eyes glowing in the darkness before a metal shutter covered the window. His eyes widened in fear. The vampire from before burst through the door. He had an armored vest on with phosphorus grenades attached. A back pack with ammo running to the M-60 machine gun was strapped to his back.

"The helicopter is waiting Mr. Centuri. We have to get you out of here." Centuri stood frozen. "Sir." An explosion ripped through the building. The red lights flickered and went out. The vampire rushed to his boss and took him by an arm. Snapping out of his trance Centuri pulled away from him. "The helicopter is waiting sir." Centuri began to run subordinate following close behind.

Screams echoed down the empty corridors. The smell of burnt flesh and blood hung in the air. Another explosion broke through the wall in front of them. Smoke and burning rubble filled the hall way. Centuri and his body guard came to a stop. The vampire thug turned guard stepped in front of him gun at the ready. Gasping sounds came from the other side of the opening.

Faer stepped through the hole he had blown into the wall. The blood covered the black scales that now replaced his skin giving it a red tint. In his left hand was a guard he held by the throat. In his right was a cigarette. A thick red mist rolled over his crimson eyes and rose across his face. He took a heavy drag off the cigarette.

"You didn't think you would get away did you?" He said exhaling. Faer squeezed his hand. The vampire took his last bloody breathe as his throat collapsed. Blood pooled at his feet. An evil smile crept across Faer's face. The guard opened fire. Round after heated round flew at Faer only to ricochet off of him. He paused and tossed one of his grenades and it erupted into a molten explosion. The ceiling, walls, and floor sizzled and melted. A low demonic laugh sounded out from the smoke. "My mission isn't over until you die Bon Centuri." The vampiric guard opened fire again.

"Go Mr. Centuri! I'll hold him off!" Bon bolted back down the hall way. He heard more explosions and gun fire followed by a bone chilling roar. With his vampiric speed he made it to the roof access door. He broke through the door. In the center of a lighted platform sat Bon's helicopter. He sighed in relief. He began to run toward it when a black ball of fire outlined in red collided with the aircraft. An explosion rocked the roof and through Bon back into the wall.

The same demonic laugh echoed over the roof top. Bon looked up at Faer. Faer held the vampire guard’s head in a hand. The face held a pain filled look of horror. The other was extended toward the burning wreckage.

"Oh god." Bon cried tears running down his face.

"God! There is no god Mr. Centuri." Faer dropped down in front of Centuri. He turned to face the terrified vampire. "Besides, do you really think god would help a forsaken blood sucker like you?"

"Please, whatever they are paying you I can double it. Triple it. I'll give you what ever you want just don't kill me. Please." Bon begged for his life. Faer looked at him with disgust and hatred.

"You can't give me want I want." Faer look over his shoulder back into the flames. The mist cleared from his eyes and they turned back to their normal deep orange. Faint memories floated through Faer's head. The image of a vampire girl burning before him came to the front. "No one can give me her back." A tear began to form in Faer's eyes. The black scales slowly started to fade back into his red tint skin.

Faer's thought were interrupted by a gun blast. The bullet graved his right cheek leaving a small cut that began to bleed. The blood stained scales returned as Faer's eyes began to burn crimson again. Faer turn to face Bon. Centuri still holding the gun took a step back. His eyes widened with shock. He fired the gun again emptying the clip. The bullets bounced off of Faer's black scale covered face.

A bone chilling roar exploded from Faer's lips. Red spikes formed over his body. Three inch blood red talons burst from his finger tips. His face protruded out. Razor sharp teeth lined the mouth of his now dragon-like head. Six foot wings ripped from his back and spread behind him. Faer roared again. A black and red swirled flame flared over his forearms.

Bon stood frozen in fear. He dropped the gun and took a step back. He blinked trying to take in the demonic creature that had taken over Faer's body. Before he could open his eyes Faer connected with a backhand. Centuri was sent flying back through the roof access wall and out the other side. As he hit the floor on the opposite side, Faer grabbed him by the throat with his left hand and lifted him into the air. The touch of Faer's scales burned his skin.

Faer squeezed the vampire's wind pipe. He was tired of listening to his screams and pleas. He pulled back his right hand and plunged it into Centuri's chest. His fingers around Bon's heart, Faer ripped his hand free. He took in a heavy breathe and tossed Bon into the air. Tilting his head back, he opened his mouth. The black and red swirled fire that flared over his forearms built inside his throat.

The flame licked at the corners of his mouth as he dropped his arms to his side bent them at the elbows. A super heated stream of fire burst for his mouth. It torn through the air and engulfed Bon. He hit the roof still ablaze and screaming. Faer ate the vampire's heart and left out a roar. Moments later, the entire mansion was engulfed in a mushroom of fire and smoke. Faer's roars echoed over the surrounding area as the once beautiful home burned to the ground.