I already felt my powers buzz beneath my skin. I felt like I hadn't in a long time. Strong and powerful. When the first rabid had almost reached me, I let a rush of blue fire shoot out of my hands. Before I could be surprised at the sudden potency of my powers the next rabid tried to attack me. I didn't even raise my hands but let the force pulse from my core. It made the rabids topple over, but they were still alive. I slowly circled them as they were trying to get up, keeping my eyes on them and my surroundings. The last thing I needed now was an attack from behind. Apparently, my power had done more than to simply knock them over. It almost seemed like they couldn't get back on their feet. Every time they tried; they would fall over again. As I looked more closely at them, I could see black liquid spilling from their mouths and ears. What used to be their blood came pouring out of them.
I decided that they were no longer a threat. My gaze wandered over the remaining planes, that I had yet to check. There were many, at least 20 that I could see. As I was walking towards the next one, I was half expecting the pain, that had followed me using my powers the last few months. But I couldn't feel it. On the contrary. My senses felt sharper, I felt strong and almost bursting from the pent-up force inside of me. An idea crossed my mind. It was more like a crazy thought, but I shrugged my shoulders an decided to just go along with it. Raising both hands I carefully aimed at the nearest plane. The blue fire ripped out of my caried by the blast of pressure from my core.
Luckily, I was still far away. The explosion was much bigger than I had anticipated. Anyone who might have been hiding inside would be incinerated. But now that the plane was burning brightly the cover was blown. Whether still in the airport or in the other planes, no one present could overlook this. I turned towards the building. Dean would probably arrive here soon, to see what had happened. My concentration was so fixed on the it, that I almost missed the slight change in the air. But spending three months with vampires had sharpened my senses. I spun around.
The long black figure was looming against the bright background of the fire. He froze as we made eye contact. My heart was pounding. Where was Dean when you actually needed him?
"So we meet again. Or is that too cliché to say?" Caines voice was coarse, but He sounded amused. "I remember the last time you were almost a bother. But all in all, not really a threat. Looks like you learned." He turned towards the burning plane before he continued: "What I'm wondering now is, how you knew we were waiting inside." It was barely noticeable but underneath the casually amused tone was anger.
I had to buy time. Letting him know, that I had had no clue anyone was inside that plane, let alone him, seemed like a bad idea. Apparently, he could survive being set on fire! I needed Deans help.
"Well, you said it yourself, I learned. Where did you leave the rest of your posse? Are they not feeling well?" I hoped he wouldn't notice my lame attempt at finding out how many others were still alive. He didn't fall for it but instead chuckled to himself.
"You know what I like about you witches? You're not as fragile as humans but not as strong as vampires. That makes it so much fun to play with you. I'm sure you've noticed that Dean shares my opinion. He's going to keep you around and on the edge of death until he is bored of you. He'll probably kill you in the end, trying to find out how much you can take." He had started moving towards the airport, keeping his eyes on me.
"What are you saying? That I shouldn't help him? That I should just give up now and let you kill me?" Part of me was shaking at his last words and surely, he knew that. He could hear the pounding of my heart and, if he got any closer, the rushing of my blood. But there was another part in me. The part that was angry and frustrated. That had had enough of smug vampires, speaking in riddles and thinking too highly of themselves.
"I can help you. Join me and I'll show you power like you've never known before. I can show you the kind of power that would get you revenge." He was a good actor. The sound of urgency in his voice was almost believable. I threw back my head and let out a laugh, a cackle almost. Between fits of laughter, I managed to say:
"Are you seriously trying to get me on your side? How desperate are you? I mean every last one of your lackees must have died if you're trying to win me over." I wiped the laughing tears from my eyes and tried to get my composure back. Evidently, he hadn't expected that. For a moment I could see the confusion on his face before the slick mask of arrogance was back.
"Trust me, I don't need you or anyone to take care of these idiots. If it weren't for them chasing me, I'd be bored to death by now. You see, immortality gets old fast. I locked a whole hoard of rabis in there," he motioned with his head towards the airport building. "Wouldn't be surprised if even the great Dean Kuragin wouldn't make it out."
"Let's hope so," I replied in the most chipper tone I could muster up.
"So, you would rather be alone with me?"
"I'd rather be alone with every rabid you have locked in there than alone with him."
Now it was his turn to laugh. It sounded like a rusty hinge being repeatedly moved.
"You see, we seem to have the same opinion of Dean, so why not join forces?"
"I thought you don't need anyone."
The air was thick. The plane was still burning, and the wind brought the smoke over to us. But there was more to it than that. Something wasn't quite right. He liked to toy with his victims, I knew that from Dean and James. But he was agitated. No matter how hard he tried to seem causal and relaxed, it didn't work. It was like he was trying to buy time. So, let's play his game.
"What do you have to offer me, if I should join you?"
"Whatever you want. If he isn't already ripped to pieces, I'll have Deans head on a platter for you." Once again, he tried to sound controlled, but I felt fear in his voice.
"And what do you want from me?"
"Only your loyalty." I had to roll my eyes at that. It sounded so melodramatic. All this didn't fit the vampire I had been described or the vampire I had met only a short while ago. And now that I looked at him more closely, I noticed how different he appeared. Almost frail. A suspicion creeped into my mind but there was one more question I needed to ask:
"I suppose, I need to prove my loyalty to you by letting you drink my blood. Am I right?"
The darkening of his eyes told me, that I had hit a nerve.
"It is only a symbolic act. I wouldn't take much." He said it carefully as if not to scare me away. But that was all I needed to hear, to have my suspicion confirmed. He was weak. He needed blood and he wasn't even strong enough to take it from me. It seemed like the explosion had left him unscathed. But surviving something like this without a single burn took a lot of energy. I had it seen myself. After the fight and being unable to feed, James and Dean had been weaker themselves. And the wounds they sustained had been nothing compared to the explosion. Days after they were still visible. I had learned that vampires would let wounds unhealed when they didn't know when they could next feed. Otherwise, they might be unable to defend themselves...
I let a small flame erupt from my hand. He flinched and jumped back. Then I smiled.
The power that was spilling from me felt like nothing else I had ever experienced before. I barely felt it dwindle as I went on blasting blue fire out of my hands. He put up a good fight. As I was pushing him towards the burning plane his claws were trying to get at me. I was close to him now and could practically see layer after layer of skin slowly melting away. Whenever he would work against the power of the flames to get closer to me, I would let out a small pulse of pressure to push him back.
We had reached the wreckage and with one last push of force, I propelled his body inside the fire. His screams and curses told me, that it was long from over. He might be weak, but he was still one of the strongest vampires. Him at his weakest was like a freshly born vampire at his strongest. I shouldn't have let him out of my sight, but I needed the break. My powers still felt potent but I realized now, that they were finite.
I wanted to look towards the building to see, if Dean was anywhere near but I didn't dare to take my eyes off of the fire even once. He emerged again. His skin gone and the flesh underneath was blackened. But still he was alive. The fangs in his skull were even more pronounced, now that most of his face was burned away. He began stumbling towards me, pushing rubble away like it weighed nothing.
"You should have taken my offer when you had the chance," he chocked the words out of his smoke filled mouth. I walked backwards, unsure how to proceed. Should I go all out and try to kill him? But what if it wasn't enough? The decision was made for me when he suddenly picked up speed an hurdled towards me. Instinctively I put my hands up und blasted the blue flames towards him once again. With a sinking feeling in my stomach I realized the heaviness of my arms. Always the first sign, that I was reaching my limit.
It was like he was already healing again. Much more slowly now, but he was not as weak as I had hoped. With horror I watched him fight his way through my fire. I didn't want to use the pressure too, as I was afraid it would weaken my flames. Inch by inch he came closer. The burned off skin on his face made it seem like he was permanently grinning at me. His eyes black and lifeless.
Then I felt him. The familiar feeling running up my spine. Abruptly I stopped the flames and jumped to the side. The burning vampire hadn't expected the sudden loss of resistance and shoot past me. I turned just in time to see Dean grab him by the skinless head place a foot on his shoulder an ripped him apart.