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Prague, Bohemia, 1895
Severin’s legs started to tremble as the two men walked towards him. His stomach plummeted. Emil held Nikolaus from behind with an arm around his neck, propelling him forward. Every step of the human’s was awkward and laboured and Severin stood there watching helplessly as they approached.
“Severin,” Emil said with a horrible grin as the pair reached him. Nikolaus was pale and bloodless, barely able to stand up. The wounds on his neck bled copiously and Emil’s mouth and teeth were smeared with blood.
Tears of panic and anger instantly pricked the back of Severin’s eyes. “Listen to me, whatever you want to do to me, that’s fine, just let him go.”
“Who do you think I’m here for?” Emil said. “He’s only a bargaining tool. As good as dead.”
Severin clenched his fists. “So help me...”
Emil’s black eyes flashed. “You’ll do what? I’ll snap his neck before you can move.”
“All right, look, tell me what you want me to do.” Severin eyed Nikolaus anxiously. The human’s eyes rolled and he swayed from side to side on the cobbles as though only Emil’s arm held him up.
“Hmm, what do I want?” Emil pretended to think. “Perhaps for you to explain why you had the incredible audacity to bite me and then flee with my pet.”
“I wanted to keep him safe, that’s all.” Severin knew he was fighting a losing battle. He shivered, the bitter night air chilling him through and through. He hadn’t fed today. He wouldn’t survive a fight. It was all over.
Emil threw a disinterested look at Nikolaus. “Getting close to humans is futile. You’ve made an elemental mistake that I’m about to punish you for.”
“Please let him go.” Severin’s voice was smaller and weaker than he had ever heard.
Emil cocked his head. “I really do need to understand what fascinates you so about him.”
“The same thing that evidently fascinated you,” Severin shot back.
Emil shrugged. “It was time I found a new pet anyway. He’s had every vampire’s cock in Europe. Still, some of the things he let me do to him...” He grinned, as though in fond remembrance.
Severin gritted his teeth. “Nikolaus spoiled you. How will you ever replace him? Perhaps with someone like Istvan?”
It worked. Emil’s body stiffened. His arm tightened on Nikolaus’s neck. “Careful.”
“What? Why’s Istvan such a taboo subject with you? Help me understand what he sees in a monster such as you.”
Emil went pale with rage. “You and your pet are dead men.”
Severin held his hands up. It had been the wrong move. Why had he gone so far? “Please,” he said.
Emil shook his head with what he thought was a kindly smile. “Severin, my dear boy, do you really think he’s going to survive these mortal wounds? The kindest thing to do would be to put him out of his misery.”
Emil bent his head and plunged his fangs into Nikolaus’s neck.
Severin screamed. He charged forward and Emil shot out one hand, sending him spinning back to slam into the side of the bridge. Severin scrambled up as Emil let go of Nikolaus. The human crumpled to a motionless heap on the ground, blood dripping onto the cobbles.
Severin flew at Emil. Laughing, the older vampire met him head on, driving his fist into Severin’s face, bursting his nose in a shower of blood. Severin hooked an arm around Emil’s neck and dragged him down as he fell.
Emil pinned Severin to the ground and pummelled him with his fist, shattering ribs, bruising organs. Weak as he was, Severin felt every blow with agony. He punched Emil in the jaw and the vampire king barely reacted. He grabbed Severin’s head in both hands and slammed it against the cobbles, once, twice, three times.
Severin saw stars. He fought as Emil pushed up his chin and bent to bite him. He screamed and thrashed and received barely a grunt from his assailant as he kneed Emil in the groin. Emil leant his weight forward, holding Severin’s wrists down by his head.
“That was a dirty trick,” he said. “Now tell me, are you going to come when I bite you?”
Severin spat in his face. Emil growled and drove his teeth into Severin’s throat.
Severin howled. He struggled to get free with all his might. The older vampire sucked at his neck, swallowing Severin’s life force long and hard, draining him. Pinned to the ground and powerless, Severin looked over towards Nikolaus. The human’s eyes were open, fixed on his but Severin wasn’t sure if Nikolaus saw him. The light was fading fast from the violet irises.
At that moment, Severin prayed for a swift death for both of them. He’d always thought he’d meet it at Emil’s hands. How else?
