“What are you doing!” Frankie screamed as he struggled against the silver chains. “You said you’d let
him go! You swore—”
“I swore that I would release him,” Sanguis corrected savagely, “and so I shall. I shall release him
from this mortal life, and I will pray that God will be merciful.”
“You fucking bastard!” Frankie seethed, baring his fangs ferociously and writhing in agony as he
fought to free himself.
Snod sobbed when the whip struck next, closing his eyes and trying to place his mind anywhere else.
He thought of Frankie; lying in bed with him, cooking with him, all the hours they spent cuddled
together on the couch.
Frankie’s beautiful smile when he laughed, the arch of his brows when he was excited, the way his
lips parted so sweetly when they made love, or that little furrow that would appear on his forehead
when he was concentrating. All of these moments were flashing before Snod’s eyes like photographs
in an album, turning the page every time the whip tore into his flesh.
I love you, please, I love you so fucking much, I love you...
Frankie was weeping loudly, helpless and desperate, screaming furiously.
I love you, Obe! Don’t die, please! Please, please don’t die!
“The summoning didn’t work,” one of the elders hissed, momentarily interrupting Sanguis’ torture.
“The name must be wrong!”
Sanguis grunted in frustration, snapping the whip viciously across Snod’s neck as he yelled, “You and
your little vampire whore think me a fool? Don’t you dare try to lie to me! Tell me the name!”
Laughing weakly, Snod fell forward onto his face. He was too weak to remain upright any longer,
grateful for the cool feel of the floor against his cheek. He panted haggardly, his entire back flaming
with agony. He couldn’t tell where one lash began and the other ended, every bit of flesh stripped raw
and throbbing. He continued to laugh, weakly replying, “That is... the name...”
“Then why didn’t it work?” Sanguis howled, kicking Snod in the face. “Why!”
“Because you’re a fucking idiot?” Snod suggested, groaning as Sanguis struck him with the whip
again. He had lost so much blood, and it hurt to breathe. He closed his eyes, tears running down his
cheeks.
This was it.
This was going to be how it ended.
