Page 14 of Farkas: Gothika

“Of course he’s pretty,” hissed a man’s voice. “Do you think the master would choose someone who isn’t?”

“I bet he’s the new one. The one master said to stay away from.”

“Then why is he here?”

The pair took a few steps closer. There was something inhuman about the way they moved—sinuous, as if their joints were fluid—and they appeared to absorb the weak light as if they were immune to the laws of physics. Even when they were right next to Lee, one looming on either side of the chaise, all he could see were vague dark shapes and two pairs of red eyes. He could smell them, however, like damp earth.

He felt faint. He wasn’t breathing enough, wasn’t getting enough oxygen to his brain, but his body continued to defend itself by simulating unconsciousness.

“I’m hungry,” said the male, sounding a little petulant, like a child eager for a meal.

“We’re forbidden to touch him.”

“Maybe the master has changed his mind. Maybe he means this as a gift. He must have drugged this one for us. Or given him a lot of wine.”

The male knelt beside the chaise and reached out, gently touching Lee’s lips. Then he trailed a cold fingertip over Lee’s chin, down his neck, and onto his chest, exposed by the tunic’s deep V-neck. “It’s been so long,” the male said wistfully. “The deer aren’t the same.”

“It hasn’t been that long. You’ve only been here a few years. I’ve been here for decades.” She sighed heavily. “I hardly remember the taste.”

The taste. Oh God, what were these creatures?

Now the male moved a palm over Lee’s tunic, very slowly, tracing down over his chest and belly until he reached Lee’s groin. He squeezed lightly, the way a shopper might test produce for freshness.

Once upon a time Lee had known how to pray. Scraps of those German words came to him now, but he couldn’t remember how to string them together. Couldn’t do anything except close his eyes and hope that whatever happened to him would be quick and painless. He hadn’t been this terrified even during battle, maybe because at least then he knew who was trying to kill him and why.

“If you’re so hungry, why are you playing with him?” Now the female was kneeling too, her mouth so close to Lee’s neck that he could feel the little puffs of cool breath as she spoke.

“Because he’s pretty,” responded the male. “Because there are more interesting ways to feed than from the carotid. The femoral, for instance.” He pressed his fingers into the inside of Lee’s thigh very high up, where the leg met his torso.

“I’m satisfied with the neck. We can share.” The female was groping him too, although she seemed interested in his chest. She pinched one of his nipples through the thin fabric of the tunic.

While the male began to unbutton Lee’s tights, the female licked Lee’s neck. Again Lee tried to move—anything at all—but he couldn’t, and oblivion pressed around the edges of his consciousness, making his body feel far away.

Two sharp points pricked against Lee’s neck—

“Get away from him!”

A tremendous crash had come from the direction of the windows, and when Lee managed to pry open his eyelids a bit, a new shadow raced across the room, lifted the male high, and threw him against the wall with a heavy thud. The female scurried into a corner.

“I told you not to touch him!” The voice was unmistakably Vincent’s, and it was filled with rage.

“We found him here,” said the female, sounding entirely cowed. “We thought you’d given him to us.”

“He is mine!” Vincent roared.

Although Lee was still mostly paralyzed, he opened his eyes fully and found Vincent staring down at him. Unlike the shadowed faces of the other two creatures, his was dimly visible. And his eyes glowed red as well. And his teeth… the upper canines were elongated and sharp.

When Vincent saw Lee staring at him, he relaxed his expression of fury. “Mine,” he repeated, more softly.

Lee shouldn’t have felt a thrill of excitement, but God help him, he did.

“You don’t love him,” said the female. “You’re incapable of love.”

Vincent kept his gaze fixed on Lee. “No, you are wrong about that. I can love very well.” He touched a fingertip to Lee’s neck, just where the female had bitten him, and gave a gentle stroke. Then he licked his finger clean and shuddered a bit.

“Master—”

“Silence!” Vincent twisted to point toward the windows. “Get out of my sight. Count yourself fortunate that I am not destroying you tonight. I will assure your destruction if you ever again touch that which is mine.”