Chapter 4

Emaline's hands flew to her mouth, stifling the gasp that threatened to escape. The young maiden's ears perked up at the sound of her father's enraged howls outside the confines of their abode. Her tears fell silently, like blood dripping from a fresh wound.

She felt like the most insignificant fledgling, listening to her sire's torment. Her parents stood guard outside, shielding a kindred spirit like herself who was ill-equipped to endure this modern age.

Emaline grasped and wandered, looking for the entrance. Even though she wanted to help, even though she was blind. The girl exerted her extraordinary power to pry open the lock as if it were a mere toy. Her eyes glistened with the crimson tears of sorrow.

She trembled with fear, her heart pounding in her chest as she contemplated the fate that awaited not only herself but also her beloved parents. The unknown dangers lurking in the shadows of the night threatened to consume them all, leaving nothing but a trail of blood and despair in their wake.

"Bring forth the pure maiden! We shall present her to the King," hissed the vampire, his eyes gleaming with hunger.

Once more, their demand echoed in her ears, a haunting melody that sent shivers down her spine. She knew what they wanted, and she knew the consequences of denying them. The darkness that surrounded her seemed to grow thicker, suffocating her with its malevolent presence.

Emaline trembled, her eyes blind to the looming figures before her. Yet their voices alone spoke of an immense power, one that reeked of the vampire invasion's malevolent might.

“Never! Even if it means my death! "I shall never surrender my daughter to you," her father hissed, her eyes blazing with fierce determination.

"Over my lifeless body shall you pass!" Her father's voice echoed through the area.

Emaline's heart raced as she struggled to contain her primal impulses. The vampire's response to her father nearly drove her to break the lock on the door.

"As you wished, behold! I shall bestow upon you, mortal!" The vampire's fangs pierced her father's flesh as he spat out a mouthful of blood. She couldn't see it, but she knew her parents were hurt.

Emaline wept, her mind unable to grasp the unfolding events. Her willpower was waning, and the thirst within her was growing stronger. She knew she couldn't resist it for much longer. She'd sooner die for them than face the prospect of life without them.

Emaline was left in the dark, unable to recall what had happened next, as the deafening echoes of screams and gunfire filled her ears, unmistakably originating from her father's weapon.

She is utterly devoid of hope, a mere mortal lost in the darkness of her own despair. Emaline struggled to break the door knob off, her frail body unable to muster the strength it once possessed. She cursed her weakness, a constant reminder of her cursed existence.

"Mother! Father!" she cried out desperately, her voice echoing through the empty halls.

With all the power she could muster, she pushed against the heavy wooden door, determined to escape the darkness that threatened to consume her. She revels in the pain, relishing every ache and injury inflicted on her mortal frame. She eagerly awaits, perched in silence, as her parents bicker over her protection.

Emaline's will is as strong as the ancient oak, yet her body is but a mere vessel. Her fists pounded against the door, her kicks echoing through the empty halls. With a final blow, the wood splintered and gave way, sending her tumbling to the ground.

Emaline's throat constricted as she felt the sharp sting of her own blood. Her hands trembled with a strange sensation, a mix of elation and agony. She had sustained an injury. However, such trivialities held no significance in this particular circumstance.

To go to her parents, she crawled across the floor. Emaline was struggling in the darkness, her senses heightened as she searched for a way out. The woman crawled on all fours, her teeth sinking into her lower lip as she moved with feral grace. She rose to her feet as she sensed she had escaped the basement, clawing her way up the stairs.

She is well aware of their abode, and thus, she knows precisely where to strike.

The maiden perspired profusely, her tears flowing ceaselessly as terror and self-reproach consumed her.

Emaline had no idea where her parents or the vampires were, but she hoped that her mother and father were safe.

Emaline sensed the chilling breeze that swept in from the open window, causing her to shiver involuntarily. She stood close to the entrance, her senses heightened as she listened for any signs of danger lurking beyond the threshold.

"Mother and father!" she cried out, her screams echoing through the dark and foreboding fortress.

Emaline bellowed, heedless of the possibility of attracting the attention of these bloodsuckers. So be it if she perished under the moon's pale light. Her mother's eyes fixated on the door, where Emaline loomed like a shadowy figure. "Oh, gods above! Emmaline!"

When the vampires' eyes were drawn to Emaline, she was standing obliviously at the door. The vampires had formed a menacing ring around her parents, and her father lay prone on the ground.

Her mother was worried because the child she loved the most had injured herself. The husband's head rested on her lap as they both fell to the ground.

"Emma, please return to our house!" Even though Emaline didn't know what had happened to her parents, she shook her head in displeasure at her mother's directive. Emaline is blind to the direness of her father's predicament, unable to perceive the gravity of the situation.

The vampire's razor-sharp claws viciously attacked the couple, leaving them with severe and bloody wounds. It appears they have recently toyed with them. Victor was in a more dire state than his beloved spouse, for his affliction was far more severe.

Emaline searched for the scent of her mother's and father's blood; her senses heightened as she prowled through the darkness. She pondered, racking her brain for the source of her mother's voice that echoed in her mind. The answer eluded her like a bat flitting through the night sky, just out of reach. As soon as she discovered its location, she ventured forth to the site without delay.

The woman stumbled in her hurry, her feet betraying her in the darkness. The vampires cackled with delight as Emaline weakly dragged herself towards her parents, her bloodied hands leaving a trail of crimson on the cold, hard ground.

She appeared like a naive creature, embracing her guardians as she approached them. Both the mother and her daughter sobbed.

"She is blind." Emaline caught the sound of those words amidst the cacophony of their derision, yet she paid them no heed.

"Mom, what did they do to Papa?" Emaline asked, her voice barely above a whisper, as if afraid to disturb the eerie silence that enveloped them.

Her mother grasped her hand tightly and guided it to her father's chest, where she could feel a faint heartbeat. Emaline wept, her tears flowing like crimson droplets down her pale cheeks. She is but a feeble creature, easily overpowered.

She was incredibly frail for a woman who should have been defending her parents.

The mother of the girl shook her head, refusing to tell her daughter what had transpired. Evelyn shudders at the thought of recalling the unspeakable horrors that the depraved vampires inflicted on poor Victor.

They frolicked with Victor and Evelyn, relishing in the couple's struggles.

Emaline felt the eerie presence of the undead, their eyes fixed on her every move. Their unblinking eyes were fixed on her, their gazes piercing through the darkness. She could feel their hunger and thirst for her blood. She knew she was in danger, but she couldn't tear her eyes away. She was weeping and gritting her teeth. She ponders ways to halt their bloodthirsty rampage.

She was well acquainted with these creatures but utterly clueless about how to thwart their advances. Emaline yearned for the end of this predicament. She was biting her lower lip so hard that the metallic taste of blood filled her mouth.

As she tumbled to the ground, the woman's delicate flesh was marred with bruises on her hands, arms, knees, and forehead.

"Please, please spare us. Please spare my parents." She pleaded with them, for it was the sole notion that could penetrate her mind in that moment. Emaline had no inkling of the immense power that lay dormant within them, waiting to be unleashed.

"It was pointless, Emma." Her mother whispered, shaking her head, her eyes darting around the dimly lit room.

The sound of their laughter echoed through the dark, eerie fortress. "Come and accompany us to the palace. "We will present you to the King." One of them hissed, their eyes glinting in the moonlight. Emaline is acutely aware of the vampire's precise location. A man's voice, seemingly delighted with their progress, could be heard.

"No! No way, Ema! I do not desire such a thing! Even if your father and I perish!" The obstinate denial of Emaline's mother Emaline's father was breathing heavily. He slowly opened his eyes, revealing his piercing gaze as he fixed his sight on his beloved daughter. It also shook its head.

"Don't do that, Ema. I'll do anything for you, my child," he whispered softly to his child.

His father caressed her cheek with his cold, pale hand. The maiden's tears continued to cascade down her cheeks, landing on her sire's visage. His body was drained of life-giving fluid and weakened by the vicious assault of the undead.

"But, Papa -No! You should stay here next to me and your mom!" Victor's unwavering defiance.

He clutched Emaline's hand firmly. Emaline's tears cascaded down her face like a never-ending river, as if they were cursed to flow eternally.

"Oh, what a thrilling spectacle! We shall bring you to the King, whether you're willing or not! Your family was in violation of the law! You shall all face the consequences of your actions," the vampire hissed, his eyes glowing with a fierce intensity. Emaline's ears twitched as the voice of their leader echoed through the darkened area.

Though he remained unseen, the woman's eyes were drawn to the vampire. "I care not for your laws! I will not obey your so-called laws! My father has made his decision! If you want to kill us, simply kill us!" Emaline declared with conviction, her voice echoing through the chamber and commanding the attention of all present.

The burden of her emotions was becoming too heavy for her to carry. Her inner turmoil was brewing, causing her countenance to shift and the atmosphere to become charged with an otherworldly energy. The vampires seethed with fury at her words.

They crept up to the unsuspecting girl and yanked her hair with vicious force. Emaline's mother was powerless to intervene as the vampire girl took control of the situation. Emaline burst into tears.

"You dare to question the law, mortal! To our kind, you are nothing but a feeble and pathetic source of sustenance, a mere blood bank to be drained dry." The vampire bellowed, his fangs bared inches from Emaline's quivering lips.

Emaline remained unfazed by his shouting and threats. Rather than cowering in fear, the mischievous girl flashed a sly grin in his direction.

"Go ahead and murder us. What precisely are you waiting for? Isn't that what you all friggin vampires want? You are all animals out for our blood! All of you are monsters! Simply do it!" Emaline pleads with the vampire to end their mortal coil. She had grown weary of their menacing promises.

If they are to meet their demise, why not do it swiftly?

The vampires recoiled at the sound of Emaline's voice. The creature swiftly wrapped its cold, bony fingers around Emaline's delicate neck, cutting off her breath. Emaline's throat convulsed as she choked on her own saliva, her body writhing in agony.

As they saw the female vampire commit the heinous act, Emaline's parents let out blood-curdling screams.

They made an effort to stop the female vampire, but Emaline was already airborne and in the vampire's deadly grasp. Her eyes grew dim as the vampire claimed her life.