CHAPTER FIFTEEN
You're Safe

Heylo entered the main part of the house from the basement. She could smell the fresh blood. She could distinguish Mullen amidst the intoxicating aroma. She worked to control the beast within her. She was there for Mullen...and not for anything else, unless the other members of her clan needed her help in some way. The only sounds she could hear, were that of a male, sounding threatening, coming from the living room. She really couldn't make out what was being said...but she thought they sounded angry. She knew Cantaria and Cham were going in through the front door...and she worried for them...but she had been given her own mission. She also knew that Cantaria and Cham were both strong and competent and accomplished.

So, Heylo crept down the dark hallway. There were three doors, so she went quietly to each to check them out. First door, nothing...quiet, and the door was open. Second door was closed, so she went to it...and pushed it open. Quiet and no one in there, either. Third door was open, and she knew that that was the room where the blood was.

She continued to hear voices from the living room, but tried to keep her mind on what was ahead of her. She was to find Mullen, and he was her friend...and she wanted to help. The room was quiet and she feared the worst, as she saw someone hanging on the wall inside the room. *gulp* They didn't have a head!

Heylo feared the worst. She entered the dark room...and saw three vampires...slain...their heads cut from their bodies. There were three humans...two she didn't know...and one was MULLEN...badly injured. She ran to him. She hoped it wasn't too late. He was covered in blood, and a lot of it, looked and smelled like his own blood. He was slumped against the wall, half sitting, with a rag grasped in his hand across his chest. She whispered to him, "Mullen? Mullen?" No response. She worried about any reflex reactions he might have, having obviously killed three vampires by himself. There was no reply. Her heart sank. Mullen befriended her after the Abyss fire...and she was overcome with sadness, thinking she had lost him.

All of a sudden, she saw movement...and Mullen's eyes popped open. She whispered again, "Mullen? This is Heylo. I've come to help you. Can you hear me? Mullen?"

"Heylo?!" Mullen thought to himself. "What is she doing here? Am I having a hallucination?" He saw her hand on his, but he was numb and cold and didn't feel her touch at all.

She lifted his blood soaked hand, to see he was clutching a rag to his chest. She continued speaking to him softly, "Mullen? Help me get you home. I'm here to help you, my friend. This is Heylo."

As she picked up the cloth, she saw the tremendous gash down the center of his chest. The blood had poured, but seemed to be slowing from the pressure he had tried to apply. As she worked with him, she spoke in her soft whispers, to let him know what she was doing, hoping that he wouldn't lash out at her. "Mullen? I'm going to help you. This is Heylo. You have been hurt badly, my friend."

"Yeah, I can see that," Mullen said with a slight grin. He watched her face and wondered if she was afraid from the gruesome scene that surrounded them.

Heylo pulled a kit from her cloak. In it were bandages and some powder that would help to slow the bleeding. She worked quickly, and kept an eye on Mullen, who was quite pale from the loss of blood. The other eye, she kept on the door leading to the hall, so no one would sneak up on them.

She seemed nervous as she sprinkled a healing powder over Mullen's chest wound. He recognized it as one they sell in a little Egyptian shop stuffed away in the corner of Chinatown. Mullen purchased his iron Ankh there years ago. The affect was immediate. His wounds burned as the muscles began to tighten. He wanted to say something but all that escaped his mouth was a groan of pain.

Heylo grimaced at Mullen, for she hated to see him in pain, then looked around the room. She didn't know what to do for any of the others. One human lay dead...and the other was in a trance. After bandaging Mullen, she collected the weapons, though, realizing they were Mullen's and may contain his fingerprints. She put some arrows, knives, and a crossbow into the pockets of her cloak...then gathered Mullen up tenderly into her arms.

She crept back down the hallway whispering to Mullen, "Mullen? We're going home now. I've got you...and you are safe now."

In a raspy whisper, Mullen said, "Wait! We need to get Jean-Luc. I didn't come here for nothing... wait...," Mullen mumbled and continued to protest, but Heylo was intent on her rescue and didn't understand the words he attempted to get out. When she got to the steps leading to the basement, she glanced around and then proceeded cautiously down them. She continued until she was back out into the alleyway behind the house, where she had entered. She held Mullen close to her in her arms, and pulled her cloak around them both, to conceal them on their journey to where Mullen lived.

Heylo looked around, seeing no one. She moved swiftly and quietly, in the night with Mullen bundled in her arms. She whispered to Mullen as she moved, trying to keep him conscious, "Mullen? Tell me how to get you home. We need to go to your place and get you cleaned up, so you can get well. Give me directions, my friend."

As Heylo leaned her ear down to his lips Mullen coughed out, "sewer." He paused and swallowed then whispered, "We must slip into the manhole, in the street, in front of the house. I have a boat waiting there... " Mullen's voice trailed off as his mind began to wander, "Man, this chick is strong to carry me like this and she isn't even breaking a sweat. Come to think of it, she doesn't seem scared, either...What kind of NORMAL woman could witness decapitated bodies and not even be bothered...?" Mullen looked up into Heylo's face as she headed off towards the front of the house.

Vilona watches after Heylo as she disappears up the stairs. Searching the basement she finds a latch on the floor. There seems to be broken cement crumbling around the large wooden plank that the latch is connected to. She slowly opens the latch, and creeps down the set of stairs that were hidden beneath what is now apparently a door. Careful to not let the door make a sound as it closes behind her she searches her surroundings. The distinct smell of the Nosferatu floods her senses. Instinctively, she holds the back of her hand to her nose to block the assault. Against the wall she can see Natashia's outline and the glisten of candlelight on the barbed wire that entangles and traps her against the wall.

The Nos come toward her with fangs bared and claws out in an attack position. Vilona raises a hand and loudly commands, "Stop!" The Nos automatically halts in his steps and gasps with the forcefulness of her Domination. Vilona steps forward and her eyes begin to glow as her gaze locks with the Nosferatu's shocked expression. "You will unlock her chains. NOW!!!" The Nosferatu staggered and fell to his knees then crawled toward Natashia. He was obviously struggling to resist the Domination, but was not able to withstand the power of Vilona's command. She hated to use the Domination power, but she wished this more than to behead the poor thing.

She watched as the locks were undone and the barbed wire was unwrapped from Natashia's feet and hands. The blood trickled from her wounds and Vilona caught her as she slumped over, in her freedom. The Nos regained his composure after completing his task and reached out towards Vilona. His hand clutched in her hair and he pulled her to the ground with a terrible yank. Natashia fell to the ground as Vilona reeled backwards. The Nos ran to Natashia and stroked her face in what appeared to be genuine care and concern. Vilona's initial anger paused as she watched. The glint of Natashia's Dragon scale caught Vilona's eye. It dangled from the Nos's neck and Vilona looked from Tashia to the Nos and recognized a strange friendship between them. Vilona stood and stepped toward them. The Nos hissed and bared his fangs again. Vilona smiled and stood her ground, "My friend, I wish you no harm. Nor would I harm her. I am her sire and she is MINE. I've come to collect and tend her. Please, kindly step aside before I must punish you. I'm not sure you realize this, but you are trespassing in MY Domain and you have not introduced yourself."

The Nos looked up in noticeable fright. Then with great hesitation and reluctance he pulled back from Natashia and stepped aside to let Vilona retrieve her beloved Childer. Before Vilona could step forward, the Nos quickly stepped back to Natashia and picked her up himself. Vilona's eyes glowed with rage and she began a low growl that rumbled from behind her clenched teeth. The Nos turned around and lowered his eyes from meeting her gaze. He then held Natashia out for Vilona to take from him. Vilona stopped, realizing his gesture. Her countenance softened and she took Natashia into her arms and quietly nodded to the Nos. He backed up into the shadows of the corner and sank down to the floor. Vilona wanted to insist on his name and an explanation but she had priorities right now. She needed to get Natashia home.


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