Chapter 70Fast Forward 7 - Fleeting Movement

Back to crispy skin.

This was bad, very bad. Still very shaky I stood up and walked to the door. I tried to keep my head focused around getting out of here. First I got dressed as best I could. My clothes were tattered and torn, burned and singed. It was awful. At least I still wore my panties and bra, the little of it that was still whole. No, this wasn't the time to feel prudish.

My left hand held up what little clothes I had in place. My right hand reached for the door, scaring me as I looked at it. It didn't feel as bad as it looked so I decided it was a worry for later. I pushed against the door with it, wincing slightly. The door was still locked.

Did I expect anything else?

After I had just turned around to look for something else I heard a metal scraping from the other side of the door. Voices. People... No, the same vampires from last night. I assumed they wanted to verify that I was dead and dust. Fortunatly I hadn't made any noise when I checked up on my clothes and I hadn't groaned at all since the evening came. Did they know I was still alive? Did they expect it?

The scraping continued, something large was moved away from the door. Some odd discussion on their spoils for the evening. Where they would hunt, what they wanted to do afterward. It sounded as if they had a whole evening planned already.

Good for them. Better still for me to spoil it.

Anger, so much anger. Heat inside of me that fueled my thoughts and strength. It was stronger than the blood, a killer instinct. But I didn't want to be as them, didn't want to kill. Hurt them, but not kill. I had to hurt them to escape in safety. A plan, a simple plan. There wasn't a female among them but I could hurt them and take their clothes. Afentis's blood burned inside of me. Not weak, strong. Stronger!

The self-awareness that had aided me all this time flared up with knowledge I'd never felt. Like a fire warming in winter the knowledge flowed from the blood to all my senses. Stronger, faster. Finally I might be able to best them.

The worthless pieces of clothes I was holding fell to the ground silently. I stood ready on the other side of the room, ready to storm out as soon as they opened the door. I felt my fingers curl and my nails lengthen slightly as if I had claws. I felt prepared, strong enough to beat them. Were they ready for me?

They better be.

The door opened slowly, conversations still going on. Now!

I dashed forward, pushing the door open and hearing a crack as someone's arm got broken against the wall. A scream of pain punctuated my punch into the chest of another. There were only four of them, two already down. I snarled instinctively as I raked my nails over the face of the third one, sweeping the fourth with my right leg. Pain shot through it as the burned skin grated against his clothing but it was lost in the anger. A round punch lifted the third one of his feet and against the ceiling, a satisfying crunch as his skull cracked slightly as well. The one of the floor, swept away, whimpered as I let my fist land on his temple.

It only took a second or two, I had moved with lightning speed, surprised myself in the process. My strength had been much more than I anticipated but they mostly weren't bleeding badly. I undressed them as I saw fit, taking some pants, shoes and a coat to suit me, making sure they matched and made me look at least decent. Fashion thoughts at a time like this? I guess my mind needed something to distract.

A breath.

My mind had been ticking in the highest gear and I felt it was time to slow down. The four others were slowly recovering and moaning in pain. I literally dashed outside, again surprised by my speed. The silent buildings surrounded me as I stood there, looking out of one eye as the other felt less painful if I kept my right eye closed.

The cool autumn air brushed against my burned skin. I welcomed it. It's coolness was like a bandage for the wound. I knew I could heal if I fed, regenerate the lost skin in time. But how much time would I need, how much time until I looked my old self again. How did I look now? How much had I changed?

Something in my blood reminded me of my first moment as a vampire. I remembered wanting to fly, soar in the air. Would Afentis's blood have made me more powerful, made me able to fly? All the surprise and wonder of then came back to me. Could I? Should I?

The last time I tried, which felt so long ago, I landed oddly and hurt my arm. But I was different now, more experienced, more sure of myself. Something in my blood felt different. I felt lighter, stronger, as if I could walk on air. I closed my other eye and just breathed in for a moment, feeling everything around me, hearing everything. The whole city echoed in my mind, each of my breaths a long stretched sound. I was ready. I opened my eyes.

In shock I realized I was already floating a little above the ground. I held though. It took a bit of concentration but it held.

I could fly!