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Mariela woke up again, this time, outside the Bloodrave. Four men were surrounding her with spiraled daggers in their hands. She was laid out on a flatbed rock, her torso tied onto it. There was no way for her to escape now. Like she said before, though she was scared, she was ready to die. Her clothes have changed: she wears a torn, white gown which stopped at her shins. She began to break out in sweat. Sangre loved it. The scent of fear exhilarated him in more ways than one.

He may not just want her blood at all; he wanted her for himself. He wanted more power among the weak, and he wanted to be more powerful than his own Clan. Mariela closed her eyes, waiting for her execution. Her hands were balled into fists, and a slight pained expression overcame her face. Nighthawk and Raven saw the absolute fear washed upon her face. "Sire...maybe we should find someone else for this ritual...she seems young..." Sangre turned to them. "Are you showing weakness as well, Raven?" "No, Sire...I mean...you sent Blackwing to find a woman. She's barely that. She's a teenage girl. Aren't we--" Sangre pulled Raven to him by his collar. "You listen to me.

This ritual WILL happen tonight, and NOTHING and NO ONE will stop me, do I make myself clear?!" Raven pushed his master away. He never did that. The last person that resisted their master paid the ultimate price. "You dare--" "This isn't right, Kevin! I want to become invincible and immortal...but not like this..." "Raven's right, your Highness..." Sangre turned to Nighthawk with anger within him. "You dare agree with him?!" In an instant, Sangre threw Raven and Nighthawk against the wall with a green flash coming from his hands.

He teleported towards them, grabbing them both by their collars. "You listen to me, you no good ingrates! You will NOT become Blackwing...you will NOT become weak! Is that clear?!" With no answer from neither of them, Sangre's eyes became blood red, and glowing. "I said...is...that...clear?!" "Yes, Master..." they said in unison, scared for their lives. As he dropped them on the ground, Sangre said, "Prepare her..." and walked away.

Nighthawk and Raven, now known as Nicholas and Brian, walked toward a scared Mariela. "We're sorry, Mariela...but we have to follow the Master's orders..." "You...you don't have to do anything that he tells you..." she said weakly. "I can tell that you don't want to do any harm to me, for I am so young." "We don't," began Nicholas. "We don't want to harm you...but we don't want to die either..."

Here I stand in front of the old warehouse that I use to call my home. The wind blew through my hair, and its cool air left evening dew upon my pale skin. As I start to walk into the building, someone calls out to me. "Blackwing..." I looked aroundr30;though I couldnr17;t see anyone. Once again, I started to go into the building. Something stopped me. It wasnr17;t an evil, yet bone-chilling voice, or an evil presence. It was something else, telling me that Mariela is nearbyr30;unsafe. In a flash, something threw me against the wall of the building. I fall upon the dead grass, limp. I then hear footsteps approaching me...then a sinister cackle. "I knew you'd be back, Dorough...you didn't live up to your end of the bargain..." I look up at my adversary, and was surprised to see Sangre stand before me. "I'm not so thrilled that you changed your ways, Howard...Now, you will know what I do with the weak!" a red blast came from his hand, and hits me dead in my chest. I collapse almost immediately before him, his body standing over me. "That's what I like to see...you bowing before your master..." I weakly say, "You are not my master...God is my master..." As I try to grab onto him, he disappears. "You have got it all wrong, Dorough..." I heard his voice cut through the night air. "I AM God!" Another red orb strikes me in my back. I lay there, unconscious, prepared to give up. When I was about to lose it all, something told me to go on. Something in my mind told me to finish the job, and save Mariela from the depths of the Bloodrave.

I feel myself being dragged inside the abandoned building. My body, limp, pretending to be dead, waiting for my perfect attack upon my enemy. I was thrown to the ground, nearly lifeless before Mariela, Brian and Nick. "Do what you will with him, I don't give a damn anymore...his death shall be no burden to me." "Howard..." I hear her whisper to me from her restraints. My eyes open up after I hear the sound of his footsteps fade. The chamber door closing was the last thing I heard before I quickly got up, and ran to Mariela.

I see Nickolas and Brian walking towards me, but I put my hands up to stop them. "Do not come any closer! You've done enough damage to poor, innocent women like her!" "No, Howard, they're not bad people." "Mariela, you don't know them like I do...they're bloodthirsty men that would ravage you for your blood, and--"

It suddenly dawned on me: if they are these "bloodthirsty beasts", then why haven't they drank her lifeless yet? Not only am I a vampire wanting to change my life, I am also a very blind one. "She's right, Dorough, like you, we want to change our lives. We realized that having eternal life has a price. We were just too blind to see it...please, forgive us, for we never knew of the consequences endured when we sold our souls to the Vampire Lord..."

"It is not your fault; you wanted eternal life, as did I. No one knew what the end results would be years ago. Plus, the Vampire Lord was destroyed." Brian and Nicholas looked down at the dirty ground. "He's not dead, Dorough." "What do you mean, 'not dead'? He was destroyed long ago, and--" "The Vampire Lord...is Sangre." I couldn't believe it, for the life of me, that Sangre...was...it can't be. Brian walks over to Mariela, and breaks the restraints with his bare hands. He helps her off the 'pedestal', and carries her to me.

"Mariela...at last, I have found you..." She springs out of Brian's arms, and embraces me. "I knew you would come for me. I knew you would..." I let her go, and look deep into her eyes; once again, I see that wonderful sparkle that enchanted me. "I would go through Hell for you, Mari. You are worth that...now, let's get you home."

"I'm afraid I won't let you do that, Dorough..." I looked around me, and saw nothing that matched the loud, booming voice. "Who's there?" "Never mind that, let's just go, Howie..." Mariela's near malnourished body clang to me for safety. "Yes, let's..." As we walked to the chamber door, we find that it's locked...from the inside. Sangre has trapped us.

"Leaving with the virgin one does not please me at all..." within seconds, Sangre appears, wearing a black cloak, his hands folded together. "For 400 years, I have waited to be reborn again...and you will NOT take away my long awaited prize!" Kevin's voice was different, it was deeper and demonic, and it scared us half to death. "Give up the girl, or die. "That's it! I can't take this anymore!" Nicholas quickly grabbed a rusted scythe, and held it tightly in his hands. "Never will you cause anymore pain!" "Nicholas, no!"

As he darted out to fight, Sangre's eyes became red, as did the handle of the scythe, causing Nick to scream in pain. His hands were badly burned, and it caused him to drop his useless weapon, and drop to his knees. "That's it, bow to your master..." He let out a blood-curdling, maniacal laugh, but it ceased when Brian rammed a spiraled dagger through his back, twisting it through his spine. "Go! Now! There's a hidden exit through the floorboards!" Without hesitation, I carried Mariela toward the exit, but it disappeared. "H---hurry..." Howie placed Mariela down, then turned back to Brian on his knees...with a dagger through his back.

She screamed as she saw him fall forward to the floor, blood dripping from his mouth. "Oh, my God...no...." Sangre levitated towards him, and smacked Howie so hard, his body was rushed against the wall. "HOWARD!" she became instantly silent, for Sangre was in front of her, smiling devilishly at her. "You villain! You demonic villain! God shall smite thee, and you shall be newly reborn and purified by His blood..." Mariela took out her rosary, but halfway, he grabs her hand, twisting it. "Your pathetic Bible verses will not faze me...Now, I shall give you one...last...chance. Reign the world with me..." "never..." she said in a soft whisper. "What did you say?!" "NEVER!" Sangre slapped her, and by his forceful slap, she ended up on the parlor floor, unconscious.

"No more blood...no more murder...no more...no more!" I screamed in my mind. I have had enough of everything he has done: taking my saved soul, controlling me by blood, and trying to do mortal harm to my Mariela. I just couldn't take it anymore. His reign of terror must end...but I haven't the power to stop him. I'm no longer blessed by God's touch. I am a monster in my own right, and in other peoples' eyes. I feel as though I have lost this war in trying to find myself again, and trying to save Mariela, and the world. I have failed my Master, and I am not for certain what my future will be when I will be held by His hands...

If that will ever happen.