Page 91 of Missing Piece
Before Adam could react, Vincent launched himself at Richard. The two vampires collided in a blur of motion, tumbling to the concrete in a tangle of limbs. Adam stood frozen in place, indecision gripping his mind as he watched them tear into each other—a flurry of fangs and fists and blood, the wet sounds of impact echoing through the warehouse. It all seemed surreal, like something out of a nightmare.
A thought cut through the chaos, sharp and insistent.Pull your damn pants up and get the knife.
He blinked, snapping out of his daze. His hands fumbled with his jeans, yanking them up with shaking fingers as he spotted the discarded blade, glinting dully in the dim light.
Adam lunged for the knife, his fingers closing around the handle just as Richard threw Vincent off him. Richard’s eyes locked onto Adam, blazing with murderous intent.
“You little shit,” Richard snarled, blood running from a gash on his cheek.
Vincent scrambled to his feet, positioning himself between Adam and Richard once more. “Adam, go!” he shouted, strain cracking through the words. “Get out of here!”
Adam stood his ground, gripping the knife tightly. His body shook from his toes to the tips of his hair, vibrating from the cold and the fear, every ounce of him wanting to run. But he couldn’t. He couldn’t leave Vincent like he had been left.I’m staying.
Richard’s lips curled into a sneer. “How touching,” he spat. “The pet thinks he can play hero.”
He lunged forward, faster than Adam’s eyes could track. Vincent met him halfway, their bodies colliding with a sickening thud again.
Adam circled them warily, searching for an opening. Hisgrip on the knife was slick with sweat, and the wound on his thigh throbbed with each heartbeat. The scent of blood filled his nostrils.
Vincent managed to gain the upper hand, pinning Richard to the floor. But Richard wasn’t done. He twisted, sinking his fangs into Vincent’s forearm for a second before pulling back and tearing away a chunk of flesh. Vincent roared in pain, his grip loosening just enough for Richard to break free.
In a flash, Richard was on his feet. He grabbed Vincent by the throat, lifting him off the ground. Vincent clawed at Richard’s arm, his feet kicking uselessly in the air.
“I’m going to enjoy this,” Richard growled, tightening his grip. He dug his fingers into Vincent’s throat, sinking into the flesh before yanking his hand back, tearing Vincent’s throat wide. Vincent’s eyes widened in horror as Richard released him, his eyes returning to their human form as he placed a hand over the gaping wound pouring blood down the front of his shirt.
Adam’s world narrowed to a pinpoint.Vampires can bleed to death, that’s what Ophelia said…Without thinking, he charged forward, his shaking hands holding the knife out.I have to do something…
He slammed into Richard, knocking the wind out of himself as he did. Richard snapped his attention towards Adam as Vincent staggered to the side, both his hands over his bleeding throat. With the blade jutting out of Richard’s side, he looked at it for longer than seemed necessary, like his mind was trying to make sense of what happened before he let out a screech of pain, doubling over and grabbing for the handle.
“You’re dead!” He screamed as he wrenched the knife fromhis ribs, angrily throwing the it back to the concrete before shoving Vincent away from him. “I was just gonna play with you for a few days, but now, I think I’ll keep you. I’ll rip you apart, one piece at a time, and break that strong head of yours.”
Vincent fell to his knees, gurgling gasps coming from his hunched over frame.
Adam struggled to catch his breath, taking a step back as Richard stepped towards him.I need to get to Vincent. I need to help him…His gaze darted frantically, searching for any means of escape or defense. The table of torture instruments caught his eye. It was a desperate gamble, but he had no choice.
With a burst of adrenaline, Adam lunged for the table. But Richard was faster. The vampire barreled into him with the force of a freight train, lifting him off his feet and sending them both tumbling to the floor.
The impact knocked the wind out of him again, leaving him gasping and disoriented. Richard’s weight pressed down on him, crushing him against the freezing concrete. Adam struggled desperately, but Richard easily pinned his wrists above his head with one hand, his knees digging painfully into the backs of Adam’s thighs.
“No!” Adam cried out. He thrashed wildly, clawing at the concrete.
Richard’s free hand tangled in Adam’s hair, yanking his head back viciously. “I think I’ll fuck you on his corpse first,” he hissed, malicious glee coloring every word.
Before Adam could react, Richard slammed his face into the concrete. Pain burst behind his eyes, stars scattering across his vision. He heard a low moan, not recognizing thesound coming from his throat.Just hold on a bit longer. A bit longer.He tried to twist his hips again to knock Richard off his back, but the vampire was a lead weight, refusing to budge.
When his face was driven into the concrete a second time, any remaining semblance of his control vanished. Blood mixed with snot and tears and dirt, running slowly down his face with his mouth agape. Through the haze of pain, Adam felt Richard’s hands tugging at his pants again. His mind screamed in protest, but his body was distant, unresponsive, the pain and shock rendering him helpless.
“I would have let you join us, but you just had to push it,” Richard rasped. “I’ll take your teeth first and ruin that pretty mouth. If your master survives, once I get him back under control, we’ll split you in half together.”
Richard’s vile words washed over him in a meaningless torrent. He couldn’t process them, couldn’t focus on anything but the silence that had fallen over the warehouse. A silence that was punctuated only by Richard’s panting breaths and the pounding of his own blood in his ears.
Vincent.He couldn’t hear Vincent anymore.
Adam lowered his face to the concrete floor as Richard’s nails clawed into his lower back and ripped through the fabric of his jeans. A sob tore from his throat, a choked, desperate sound that was swallowed by the vast emptiness of the warehouse. This was it. This was the price for everything. For every lie, every stolen dollar, every hit that had brought him closer to oblivion. The universe was finally making him pay, and it was taking its sweet, sadistic time.
Maybe this was the atonement I deserved.
Richard’s weight on top of him jerked violently to the side.A sharp gasp escaped the vampire’s lips, followed by the sound of something heavy hitting the floor.
