Chapter 252: Bodies, lots of bodies
As Reggie's warning about Elena echoed through the group, tension rippled through the air like a charged current. Blake's heart pounded in his chest as he braced himself for the imminent confrontation.
"Get ready," Reggie growled, his voice low and urgent. Gunther and Randal nodded in unison, their expressions hardened with determination.
Blake glanced over at Nana, his eyes locking with hers for a brief moment. There was fear in her gaze, but also a glimmer of resilience. They were in this together, facing whatever came their way.
With a cloud of sand lifting into the air, two figures stopped dead a few meters away from the group and the boat. As the sand settled and Elena's figure materialized from the blur, tension thickened in the air like a heavy fog. Drake, her steadfast aide, stood at her side, emanating an aura of silent menace.
"Well, well, well," Elena purred, her voice dripping with venom. "What do we have here? A little reunion, perhaps?"
The vampires on the beach bristled with aggression, their long teeth gleaming in the moonlight. Blake and Nana, the lone humans among them, instinctively retreated, knowing they were outmatched in a battle between supernatural beings.
Elena's voice cut through the charged atmosphere, her words sharp as a blade. "Blake," she called out, her tone laced with accusation. "I know you've regained your memories. You can't deceive me."
Her words struck like a lightning bolt, and Blake's heart clenched with fear. He glanced nervously at Reggie, Gunther, and Randal, who stood protectively in front of him, ready to defend him at any cost.
Elena's voice carried a threat, promising destruction if Blake dared to defy her. "Come back now, and perhaps I'll show mercy," she declared. "But if you resist, I won't hesitate to make you suffer like your burning office building."
Reggie stepped forward, his gaze steely as he addressed Elena. "Over my dead body," he declared defiantly, his voice ringing with determination. "Blake stays with us."
Elena's lips curled into a sinister smile, her eyes gleaming with malice as she regarded Reggie with contempt. "Such bravado, Reggie," she sneered, her voice dripping with disdain. "But believe me you, there are plenty of dead bodies already tonight and there will be more with that mouth of yours. Do you really think you can stand against me?"
Reggie held his ground, his expression unyielding. "I know we can," he replied, his voice steady despite the tension crackling in the air. "You won't be the first to underestimate us."
Elena chuckled darkly, the sound sending shivers down the spines of those gathered on the beach. "Very well," she said, her tone dripping with menace. "If you insist on defying me, then you leave me no choice."
As Elena prepared to give the signal for her minions to attack, Gunther and Randal stepped forward, their gazes unwavering. "We don't want any problem Elena," Randal stated, his voice calm as always. "But if problem is what you seek, then no problem,"
Drake's voice cut through the charged atmosphere, his tone laced with confidence as he addressed Gunther. "You may have bested me once in Monaco, Gunther," he began, his words tinged with a hint of menace. "But this time will be different. You and your pack will not escape unscathed."
Gunther's lips curled into a sardonic grin as he met Drake's gaze. "Ah, yes, Monaco," he replied, his voice dripping with mockery. "Fifty years is a long time to stew over a defeat, isn't it?"
Drake's eyes narrowed, his jaw tightening at Gunther's taunt. "This time," he retorted, his voice steely, "there will be no mistakes. You and your ilk will fall,"
Gunther's laughter echoed across the beach, sending a chill down the spines of those gathered. "We'll see about that, won't we?" he replied, his tone laced with dark amusement. "But I assure you, Drake, this time I won't make the mistake of leaving you alive."
In a flash, Drake immediately rushed towards Gunther with lightning reflexes but this wouldn't be the first time the two had fought and Gunther was all but surprised.
He knew that a vampire on the level of Drake possessed speeds next to a knight. However, here was a catch. Drake was not a knight, not yet!
He was still a squire and like every squire, the knight trumped over them. However, Drake possessed something that made him incredibly dangerous and annoying to deal with. His stealth ability.
In a matter of a blink of an eye, Drake had completely vanished out of sight and the next second, Gunther felt a hand trying to dig into his stomach.
Drake reappeared with clawed hands digging into Gunther's guts. Gunther tried to grab Drake's hand but he disappeared again and appeared only a second latef, targeting the same area. It was clear Drake was trying everything within his powers to make sure that Gunther didn't heal by causing continual damage to the same area. He disappeared again
As Drake's clawed hands dug into Gunther's guts, the impact sent shockwaves of pain coursing through the vampire's body. Yet, Gunther's reaction was not what Drake had anticipated.
With a swift motion, Gunther vanished into the shadows, his form melding seamlessly with the darkness around him. Drake's senses strained as he attempted to track Gunther's movements, but the vampire seemed to have disappeared entirely.
Suddenly, Gunther reappeared behind Drake, his silhouette shrouded in a cloak of swirling shadows. Before Drake could react, Gunther's fists came crashing down upon him, each blow delivering a thunderous impact.
"Centuries have passed, Drake," Gunther taunted, his voice dripping with contempt. "I expected more from you by now."
Gunther once again disappeared and reappeared, his form covered head to toe with shadows encasing his body. With each blow he landed on Drake, he taunted him relentlessly, his voice dripping with scorn and superiority.
"I thought you'd have grown stronger by now. But it seems you're still nothing more than a weakling. Your powers are still the same. You can't stay hidden for long so you have to reappear. Well that's too bad because I can do what you can do only better,"
He continued his assault, his blows raining down on Drake with a ferocity that matched his words. "And let's not forget you still suck up to her. You're foolish to think Elena sees you as anything more than a mere servant. And even more foolish to believe she'll ever return the affections you have for her. Face it, Drake. You're just a pawn in her game, nothing more."
Drake gritted his teeth against the pain, his mind racing as he tried to formulate a strategy. Gunther's words stung, hitting too close to home. But Drake refused to let his emotions cloud his judgment.
"You underestimate me, Gunther," Drake retorted, his voice strained but defiant. "And you underestimate the bond between Elena and me. You'll see soon enough."
Gunther immediately grabbed Drake by the throat, his grip tight and unyielding, he spoke through gritted teeth, his voice a menacing growl. "We're going on a little trip, Drake. Hope you enjoy the ride."
In the blink of an eye, they vanished and reappeared by a large rock, and immediately Gunther pushed Drake to the rock, the impact causing the surface to crack. Without hesitation, Gunther unleashed a flurry of punches, each blow landing with bone-crushing force.
Between strikes, Gunther's voice boomed, filled with malice and fury. "You hurt Rose," he spat, each word punctuated by a blow. "You think you can just waltz in and wreak havoc? You nearly killed myself and my brother in that car,"
Drake fought back desperately, clawing at Gunther's face in a desperate attempt to halt the relentless assault. But Gunther's smile only widened, painted with the blood of his adversary. He showed no signs of relenting, his fists raining down with unyielding fury.
"You've left my master in a sad state for months now by kidnapping that human that she loves and cares about. You know what it's like to look at your master crying and not be able to fix it? Do you understand what it feels like to feel purposeless? To be useless? I bet you feel that everyday but some of us aren't used to that feeling.
I was born to serve and FIX IT!" Gunther opened his mouth wide and bit down on Drake's neck, tearing off a huge piece of flesh.
"Arghh!!" Drake shouted out and struggled to break free but as always, the strength of a knight and one who had barely crossed over to being a knight weren't the same.
Blake and Nana stood at a safe distance, watching the chaotic clash between Gunther and Drake unfold before them. The confrontation was a blur of motion, too fast for their eyes to follow, as the two vampires engaged in a fierce battle.
The sound of fists meeting flesh echoed through the night air, punctuated by grunts and snarls of exertion. Gunther and Drake moved with incredible speed and agility, their movements almost too swift for mortal eyes to perceive.
Beside Blake, Nana tensed, her eyes narrowed as she tried to make sense of the chaotic melee. "Who do you think will win?" she asked, his voice barely audible over the sounds of the fight.
Blake shook his head, his gaze fixed on the swirling mass of bodies before them. "I don't know," he admitted. "But whoever does, I hope it's one of the guys on our side,"