Chapter VI : The Rescue

Maeve awoke suddenly, feeling his presence near her. She opened her eyes and saw Kane’s red eyes staring back at her. ‘’What’s wrong ?’’ she asked sleepily.

‘’They’re gone hunting’’, he informed her. ‘’I heard them walking through the forest’’.

Maeve was now well awake. ‘’We have to tell the others’’. She got up, shameless as she flaunted her naked body in front of the vampire. She reached for her garments. ‘’You should go back to the castle’’ he told her as she started dressing herself. ‘’You are not safe here. If Crimson finds you …’’ he interrupted himself. He was about to say *and smells Sinbad’s odor all over you*, but he withdrew, thinking it would be too embarrassing for her. Instead, he stepped forward to help her fasten her corset. As she finished putting on her dress, they heard a horrible scream coming from the village. They ran outside the tent and were soon rejoined by the whole crew.

‘’What was it ?’’ Doubar asked Maeve.

‘’Crimson and Xander. They’re here. They’ve gone hunting. And it’s all my fault’’.

They heard the woman screaming again, but this time, from a location that was much closer to them.

‘’I have to stop them’’ Maeve told Kane.

‘’There’s nothing you can do’’, Kane replied. ‘’They captured her. She’ll be dead soon’’.

‘’No !’’ Maeve yelled. ‘’She’s not going to die because of me. I won’t let them !’’

She started running toward the village. Sinbad ran after her and stopped her by grasping her arm. ‘’What are you doing, you want to get killed ?! Wasn’t it enough you almost died tonight ?’’ he yelled at her.

She tried to push him away. ‘’I can still save her !’’ When he let go of her arm, she ordered him : ‘’Hand your dagger over to me’’.

‘’Our swords and weapons can nothing against them. You said it yourself, you can’t kill what’s already dead, remember ?’’ he protested, yet surrendering to her order.

‘’You’re right, that’s why I am not planning on stabbing them’’, she replied with sarcasm.

Doubar and Kane had rejoined them. When he saw Maeve taking Sinbad’s dagger, Doubar admonished him : ‘’Little brother, you’re not letting her fight against them, are you ?’’

‘’What exactly are you planning to do ?’’ Sinbad asked her with an authoritative voice.

‘’Using the only weapon I still own’’. She started walking. ‘’I’m going to seduce them’’.

‘’You’re going to … what ? This is ridiculous.’’ Doubar replied, ‘’I thought they didn’t care about women anymore’’.

‘’They don’t. Yet, I can still appeal to what’s most seductive to them.’’

Doubar and Sinbad looked puzzled. She rolled her eyes. ’’Trust me captain, the sole thought of me ‘’accidentally’’ cutting myself with the dagger is as seductive to them as a beautiful woman stripping would be, to you’’. Doubar and Sinbad were startled, but they followed her through the forest. Kane was leading the way, as his accute sense of hearing helped them getting closer to the vampires and their victim. A few minutes later, they all heard a female voice sobbing and begging for her life. It came from the clearing on their left. They hid behind a big oak. It was probably useless, since the vampires must have already aknowledged their presence, but they didn’t want to infuriate them.

The moon was so bright it sent enough light through the clearing for them to see rather clearly. Xander was sitting on a stone, staring at Crimson, who was toying with their prey : he was smelling her hair, or kissing her neck, wrist or hand, or nibbling at her skin, though without really biting her. Sometimes he would step back to screen her from head to toe, smiling widely to her, so she could see his red eyes and catch sight of his sharp fangs. The game was really entertaining for Crimson, as he couldn’t stop giggling and clapping his hands, like a child in front of a nice birthday present, everytime the poor woman would scream, cry or beg. A cat toying with a mouse, litteraly. The vampires’ eyes were glowing of excitement as they were getting ready to feast upon the young woman’s blood.

‘’Come with me’’ Maeve told Kane. ‘’Get her out of here as soon as he releases her’’, she ordered Sinbad and Doubar. Before they could say or do anything, she and Kane came out of hiding, walking straight to Xander and Crimson. Hearing their footsteps, both vampires turned their faces to them, their red eyes gazing fiercely at Maeve. Sinbad and Doubar had chills as they watched the scene, worried and hoping Maeve knew what she was doing. Kane stepped away from her.

‘’Crimson…’’ She called his name softly, almost lovingly. ‘’What are you doing?’’ She stopped walking and glanced at the girl he held captive. ‘’Why don’t you free this poor girl ?’’ she admonished gently. She smiled provocatively and she said : ‘’Don’t make me jealous, my darling’’. Her voice was so bewitching that Sinbad couldn’t help but think he would have crawled at her feet within seconds if she had toyed with him like that.

Maeve sat on a big stone, a few meters away from the one Xander was sitting on. Crimson was standing behind his prey, grasping one of her wrists, not ready to free her yet. Maeve didn’t say anything. She would have to make this game tantalizing enough so Crimson would release his prey. When he saw the dagger she was holding in her hand, his interest grew and his eyes started glowing even more. *Well, that’s a start*, she thought. She began playing with the dagger, making sure the moonlight reflected on its sharp blade. By then, she had both vampires’ full attention. She pushed her hair over one of her shoulders, revealing her neck. She brushed the tip of the dagger against her skin, moving it playfully from her cheek down to her lips and jawbone. She lifted her head slightly and seductively moved the the dagger’s blade along her throat. The vampires were very interested. Their eyes, brightened with anticipation, never went off her.

‘’I hope she knows what she’s doing’’, Doubar whispered. ‘’I hate the filthy way they look at her.’’

‘’Have some faith in her. Plus, she knows them better than we do’’. Sinbad tried to sound confident to reassure his brother.

Maeve was surprised that Crimson hadn’t let go of his prey yet. *You smartasses, you know I’m only toying with you, aren’t you ?* she mentally cursed the vampires. *Oh well, I guess I should crank it up a notch*. She leaned back against the stone, positioning her body in the perfect ‘’vulnerable damsel in distress’’ pose, knowing the vampires would find it appealing if they thought she was abandoning herself to their mercy. She held the dagger up against her chest, resting the tip of its blade at the junction between her breastbone and collarbones. She started moving it slowly downward, almost erotically, tracing imaginary ‘’s’’ over her chest. Catlike, the vampires’ eyes carefully followed her every moves.

‘’Well, this sure is enticing, even for the living,’’ Sinbad muttered.

Maeve glanced at Crimson. ‘’You’re starting to hurt my feelings’’ she reprimanded him. ‘’Let this poor girl go, and come play with me instead’’, she invited him. She completely laid down on the stone, lifting her arms above her head. She closed her eyes. *Alright, seems like I have no other choice left*. She pressed the dagger's blade against her wrist and breathed out a seductive ‘’Oops !’’.

Crimson brutally pushed his prey aside. Doubar and Sinbad were horrified as they realized Maeve had just slitted her wrist. The girl fell harshly on the ground, screaming. Kane grabbed her hand and lifted her up. The sailors ran to check on the girl and tell her to run away, back to the village. They stood next to Kane, helpless, as they witnessed the vampires’ aggressive behavior.

Xander and Crimson had run over to Maeve, excited by the smell of her blood. Xander violently pushed Crimson to the ground so he could drink from her first. The aristocrat stood up, defying Xander. They growled ferociously at each other, snarling loudly and showing their fangs. Wild beasts fighting over fresh meat, the sailors thought with horror. Xander brutally grabbed Maeve’s wrist and plunged his fangs inside her bleeding wound, which caused Maeve to cry weakly. She writhed when he started drinking her blood. But this time, he wouldn’t restrain himself.

Crimson confronted him with a threatening growl. Xander replied by brutally smashing his rival’s head against the rock. Infuriated, Crimson clasped his hand over Xander’s throat. Doubar and Sinbad were taken aback when they saw the small aristocrat lifting Xander above his head with one hand and thrusting him away. He then reached for Maeve’s arm and pulled it harshly toward him, causing a few bloodrops to splatter on her neck.

Crimson litteraly went mad. Kane held Sinbad and Doubar back as the two sailors had started running toward her. ‘’You’ll endanger your friend and yourself’’ Kane said as he struggled to restrain both men. Helpless, the brothers watched as Crimson climbed on top of the sorceress. He grasped her hair and yanked her head back, plunging his teeth directly into her throat. The moan she cried out was closer from climax than from pain.

‘’He’s going to kill her’’ Doubar yelled. Kane let go of them.

Doubar and Sinbad ran to her. Xander, who was now standing a few meters away from them, stepped forward. His eyes flickered as a red bolt violently crushed the captain to the ground. ‘’Little brother !’’ Doubar yelled. He landed further away. Xander smirked as he started choking them both.

‘’Xander, stop it !’’ Kane yelled. The warrior choked them a bit more, then let go of his mental grip. The two sailors laid on the ground, coughing.

Crimson was still drinking Maeve’s blood, sucking her vital energy out of her. His right hand frantically reached for her left breast and he grasped it coarsely. He loved feeling the disstressful beating of his victims’ heart as he drank their life from their veins. It was so satisfying to feel their heart stop beating, right there, under his fingers. But Kane decided Crimson would leave unfinished business as he jumped on him, throwing him off Maeve. The two vampires fought violently for a while, growling at each other like raging dogs.

‘’Xander, you have to stop him’’, Sinbad asked the warrior between two sets of coughs.

Xander glared at him, but still, he sent Crimson flying over a tree and crashing heavily to the ground. Crimson stuggled, he raged, he cursed, but Xander’s invisible hand held him firmly to the ground until the aristocrat had calmed down. Crimson got up, panting, still frustrated. He snarled at Kane and Xander before walking away. Xander looked at Doubar and Sinbad with his icy, empty evil glare. Then he turned around and walked away too.

The two brothers ran to Maeve, who was lying on the stone, numb and barely breathing. She litteraly looked like a chiffon doll. Kane was already by her side.

‘’What have you done’’ he reprimanded her, even though she couldn’t answer.

‘’Is she okay ?’’ Sinbad’s voice sounded panicked.

Kane looked at him.

‘’She’s dying, captain’’.