Page 99 of The Diary of the Vam'pir Jacques

Despite the fact it was moot, it was their rule to do so. Vam’pir’s no longer did so. Probably because we rarely slept. As said earlier, vampires had created their own mythology and stuck to it. The fools were deathly afraid of churches and refused to sleep in sacred ground. They were also scared of the cross and holy water, although, again, neither of these could hurt them. They were complete fools and a total waste of space. Modern-day vampires ruined the gifts that were given to them.

Now that I knew there was at least one growing coven somewhere close to Hyde Park, I swore to find and eradicate it. Vampires were a threat to my friends and their happiness, and I was having none of it.

“Are you coming tonight?” Haughton asked, regaining my attention.

“What? Sorry, oh, tonight’s ball? No, I have another engagement, but I’ll be at tomorrow’s one.”

“Another engagement?” Haughton teased, but I refused to comment.

I left the room with Haughton nipping at my heels, still teasing, and shoved him towards the door.

“Isn’t there someone else you can go and bother?” I asked.

“Yes, only it’s more fun bothering you. Fine, Jacques, I’m going!” Haughton laughed as I pushed him harder.

Haughton turned towards me and met my gaze as the butler opened the door. “Seriously, Jacques, I owe you my thanks for last night.” He went to say something else, and I cut him off.

“Don’t give it a second thought,” I said before closing the door in his face.

Haughton’s laughter rang out, and he walked to where his horse stood. I sighed, leaning on the door. There was work to do. I told Marks—my butler—that I was going out and left when it was clear Haughton had gone.

All day, I searched for signs of the vampires and found them. As per their image, the fools were staying in a large, deserted townhouse in the slums of London. I waited till night fell and took my chance. The first two that left, I easily killed and then a crowd of them exited together. I patiently waited for each of them to return and then eliminated them one at a time. In total, I got seven, and I guessed.

There was more in the house. I could sense them and entered the house. Moving silently so I didn’t startle them, I began searching.

The first vampire I came across died cleanly, but the next two I surprised together, and they put up a struggle.

Those left finally noticed an uninvited guest. The rest of the bottom floor was clear. I made my way up the stairs as quietly as I could, which was not that quiet as the steps creaked every time I stepped on them. But that couldn’t be helped.

I extended my senses and located six waiting, two of whom were exceptionally strong for vampires. One of them was quite old, I would say four or five centuries at least. The second had discovered an older vampire and drank from it. This one presented a greater danger. It was probably very likely he was cunning and would try to trap me.

I felt one of them mind touch me and recoil in confusion. Recognition dawned, and a mind flew into overdrive. But the vampire didn’t flee, and so I didn’t think that he truly realised what I was.

The first of the six was directly in front of me, hiding in the shadows.

Throwing a stake, I hit straight through the heart. He died instantly and turned into ashes. The vampire that had turned him wasn’t that strong, and neither was he. The second raced across the landing, and I followed, easily catching him. I broke his neck and staked him, too.

The third, slightly more cunning, waited within a darkened room. As I entered, he swung at me with a knife and slashed me in the ribs.

Letting out a growl, I grabbed him by the throat and squeezed. Once he was in the air and in my grip, he was mine to despatch, which I quickly did. Upon his transformation into dust, I located the other three individuals at the back of the house.

Although they were together, I wasn’t that worried except about the one that had drank from an elder. He required my vigilance. I entered the room with my senses, searching them out. The fourth swung for me behind my back, and I was ready. I stabbed backwards and got him through the heart. Again, he turned to dust, and I was puzzled. These vampires proved too easy to kill.Why?

The final two emerging from the shadows revealed the answer. They were both male and cocksure. It was clear that they both enjoyed power and were not prepared to share it with others, hence the weakness of those I had just killed. The older was a middle-aged fellow with black, rotten teeth and a pockmarked face. The second was a young man in his late teens, and he was the more dangerous.

They both circled me, and the younger spoke first.

“See. I told ya he was an old ‘en,” he hissed.

I smirked as he continued to circle.

“Well, what da we do?” the first asked.

“I think, gentlemen, that you are meant to try and hold me while you drink my blood,” I answered and swung a kick at the first.

As he collapsed to the floor, I was already spinning to meet the second, who attacked from behind. I grabbed his arm and wrenched it up his back, breaking it. He dropped with a howl of pain as the first attacked me from behind. I swung an open arm, and he ducked under it and straight into my raised knee.

I got him square in the face, and my stake hit him a split second later.

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