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His years spent at Dr. Franz’s side taught Keegan a lot. If anything the student had almost surpassed the teacher, with Keegan often getting Dr. Franz out of a tight spot.
Hunting vampires had become Keegan’s way of working through the pain and the loss of his parents. With every vampire that died at his hand, he felt his parents’ death was avenged that much more.
They had drained his parents of blood and he now reveled in doing everything possible to stop them from taking another life.
Dr. Franz had taught him well and Keegan’s abilities with a stake were well known. Few vampires escaped Keegan’s clutches once he’d tracked them down. His reputation soon had him feared by the blood sucking society and revered by the many members of Blood and Bones.
Walking through the streets of London, Keegan felt pride in his accomplishments, but also the seeming futility of killing a beast that so readily reproduced. For every vampire Keegan staked, dozens were born. Dr. Franz never failed to lift his spirits and encouraged him to continue with his work, and today Keegan felt he greatly need to talk to his mentor.
Each step brought him closer to the office the doctor had set up as a front. His hands fisted with nervous energy and he tried to shake the sense of doom that had awakened with him.
London had had a sudden rash of brutal murders bringing the hunters to the large city. Rumor had it Strigoi vampires were on a rampage. While Keegan had had his share of run-ins with the most vicious of all vampires, the thought of so many running wild in London left him apprehensive.
Reaching out for the door to the doctor’s office, Keegan’s instincts took over. Before he’d even pushed the door open he knew something was wrong. He rushed in, prepared for battle, but what he came upon left him shocked and frozen in place.
Dr. Franz lay in a heap in the corner of the front hall while Skars Svengaard stood over him, relishing the pain he’d inflicted. With unhurried moves, the most vile of all Strigois turned to Keegan.
“Well, well. Has the little boy come to save his mentor?” His grin was lined with dark blood. He gave a quick kick to the doctor’s leg. “I think you might be a bit too late.”
“The little boy is now a man of eighteen, Skars.” Though Keegan’s voice sounded strong and self-assured, he wanted to retch. He took a step closer.
Not only had Skars fed off Dr. Franz, but he’d visibly tortured him. His eyes were two swollen mounds of blue flesh while his lip had been cut and now hung open, exposing his teeth and gums and leaving the doctor with a perpetual grimace.
Though the largest of the bloodstains was at his neck, his slacks, shirt and even socks had splotches that indicated small cuts over the doctor’s entire body.
Ready to pounce on the strong vampire, Keegan stopped when a strangled and gurgling sound came from the doctor.
“Well, look at that.” Skars smirked. “The good doctor still has a few breaths left. How would you like to stay and witness how I drain the very last drop from your mentor’s aging and twisted body?”
Keegan fisted his hands as he took another step closer. He glanced down at his tortured friend. He needed medical attention fast.
“No doctor will be able to save him, Keegan.” Slowly threading his fingers together, Skars took a step toward Keegan and held his clasped hands up to point at him. “The remaining drops of blood that course through his veins will not keep him until he can be examined.”
Tears threatened to make their way to his eyes, but Keegan refused to give Skars the satisfaction.
“Your stoicism is admirable.” Skars snickered as he took another step closer. “Having lost your biological father must have been painful enough. Now to have to watch your mentor, the man who brought you from a boy to a man, the man who gave you a purpose in life, lose his last life’s blood must tear you apart.”
“I’ve grown accustomed to living with pain.”
“And what if I were to alleviate that pain?”
Keegan resisted the urge to ask how.
“I’ll spare your mentor and will breathe life back into him.”
The price would be high; of that Keegan had no doubt.
“Let’s have an exchange, shall we?” Skars asked. “We both want one thing – vampires destroyed. I want certain ones to be, and you are going to help me...”