~Red Thread~

Dessy saved me!

I stopped outside an old warehouse.  It was old and dusty, made of ancient brick that had probably been around as long as I had plus a few decades.  I gripped the strap of my backpack tighter.
"Well," said a voice behind me, "I guess this is it."
I smirked hopelessly and glanced over my shoulder.  The voice had come from the brunette boy with sunken eyes, Jackson.  Next to him stood Sissy and the Irish man, whose name I had learned to be Flynn.  I noted the poor preparations, two stakes and a bottle of tequila, and nodded.
"This is it."
We knew that there was no point in sneaking in.  The Xing Xaou Clan guarded the building diligently, even when they were not holding people ransom.  Either way, I was eager to tear each of them limb from limb.
I took hold of one door as Flynn grabbed the other.  He nodded that he was ready, and we yanked the two tall doors open.  Jackson and Sissy watched the opening in case anyone charged.  Their confused eyes alerted us to the anomaly; no one was waiting for us.
Sissy whispered, "They aren't here?  Why aren't they here?"
I peeked into the warehouse myself.  It was, as she had said, barren.  My teeth clenched and my fists balled up.
Flynn put a hand on my shoulder and mumbled something about finding her.  I bowed my head angrily, squeezing my eyes tight shut.
Meanwhile, Sissy and Jackson were feverishly discussing something I could not make out through my rage.  Flynn shook me lightly in a sad attempt to restore my attention.  I hissed and slapped his hand away.  It felt like time stopped.  Everyone fell into an icy silence.  I sighed before inhaling deeply to calm down.
A sweet scent hit me, the smell of lavender and vanilla.  I also noted the distinct burn of chloroform.  She had been here.  I grinned.  She was probably still alive.
"Angie," I whispered, running into the room.
Though all other signs of her presence had been erased, that one clue remained.  I saw no clues that could possibly take me to her, but I did not need one.  I had Flynn.
"Flynn!  You said you had the nose of a wolf, right?" I called.
"Aye…" he admitted.
"Let's see it, then," I smiled.  "Do you smell that?  The flowery smell with the vanilla?"
He inhaled deeply.  I knew he got it when his eyes snapped open and his mouth curled into an evil grin.
"Aye," he sighed, "tha's a beauty thar."
"Go get her, Flynn."
He entered the room with me, moved to a corner, then stopped and turned around again.
"This way," he pointed, moving back towards the door.
I chased him down the road towards Jamaica Bay.  I heard Jackson and Sissy following closely.  Flynn stopped for a second to look around, and I held my breath, thinking he had lost the trail.  When he started up again, turning a corner towards the docks, I felt a rush of relief.  We were going to find her.  My Angie-Bee was going to be okay.
I gave up.  I was no longer fighting this, whatever it was.  She was my human, and I refused to let anyone, mortal or not, take her away from me.  That included the Xing Xaou Clan.  I would have preferred not to drag her into this world, but it looked like I could do nothing about that anymore.
I saw her before I noticed any of the vampires around her.  She was tightly tied to one of the piers.  I could see her pulling against her restraints groggily.  She had a long, thick cloth wrapped around her mouth.
Four vampire minions held their ground around her, cross-armed and diligent.  Nearby, Loa, the gang's leader, leered at my group.  I knew him from the scar under his eye, a scar he had before he became a monster and avenged after.  Flynn halted us before we stepped onto the dock.  I clenched my teeth again, eager to kill Loa.
"Lookie, boys," he chortled, "at fearless one here to save girlfriend."
The Korean vampires laughed, and one flashed a knife my way.
"Give her back, Loa," Sissy cooed.
"Yea?" Loa snickered.  "Why for?  What you give us we don't have?  Not'ing.  We want talking to Fearless One."
I realized that I was breathing heavily and had not once taken my eyes from Angelica.  I shot a glare towards Loa.
"What do you want?"
His face turned very serious, a look that I had never seen on any of the Xing Xaou Clan.  His lips parted in a hiss.
"Leave coven for us."
Without thinking, I snapped back, "Eat fire, dead man."
Loa sighed and raised one hand.  With a snap, he misted and vanished.  Three of his boys moved towards us while the fourth stayed near Angie.
"Jackson," Sissy whispered, "I'm starting to think that the tequila was a bad idea…"
"Yeah, I figured that myself," Jackson replied tossing the bottle aside.  I heard it shatter on the road.  It would surely pop some tires later.  Wow, talk about a random thought.  Anyway, back to the Koreans.
Flynn, ever so true to his heritage, charged the three with a wild battle cry.  Jackson, seemingly caught up in the moment, followed suit.  The massive Irish man bowled over two skinny Asians without missing a beat as Jackson took a hit to the face ju-jitsu style.  Sissy yelped and ran to his rescue.  I watched for a minute as the two groups fought then turned my attention to Angie again.
The black haired vampire flashed his knife at me again.  I felt hot, fiery.  I wanted to hurt him.  Angie whimpered as she tugged at the ropes once more.  Her tired eyes caught mine, and I noticed the tears welling up in the blue orbs.  My fists clenched, and, before I knew I was moving myself, I was only a foot away from her captor.
With a crack and a flash, I was on the ground clutching my chest.  I heard a muffled scream that could only have come from Angie.  I tried to pull myself up, but the Korean pushed me down with his foot.
"You not so tough.  Master may even forgive you dying."
"That knife can't kill me, idiot."
The Korean smiled maniacally.
"No.  You kill you," he said.
He released me and turned to Angie.  I heard her yelp through her gag.  The vampire yelled out in Korean and the four misted.  The fight was over.
I panted, trying to regain my strength, when the mouthwatering scent of blood hit me like a wall.  I looked up at Angie, barely restraining myself.
Deep red blood trickled down her cheek as she stared at me in terror.

Author's Note

I'm saved!