I’m sorry, Obe... I can’t watch this, I can’t watch you die... I love you...
Snod shook his head, his vision blurring as he stuttered, “F-Frankie... what are you doing...”
No.
He wouldn’t.
Please forgive me, Obe.
“Frankie! Don’t!” Snod managed to shout, wiggling and trying to push himself off the floor. “Don’t do
it!”
“There’s only one way to summon a vampire,” Frankie hissed quietly, ignoring Snod’s pleas as he
glared furiously at Sanguis. “Here... let me show you.”
Snod became immediately aware that the temperature was dropping. So quickly did it plunge that
within the space of a blink, he realized that he could see his own breath.
Father Sanguis and the others were all looking around, puffing in terror and chattering anxiously.
“What is this,” he demanded, his voice trembling in fear. “What are you doing?”
A thick mist began to appear, heavy and black, snaking along the floor and filling the room. It never
rose higher than a few feet, but it enveloped everything it touched in freezing cold.
Shivering, Snod rolled back on his knees so he could try to see what was going on. His captors had
released him for the moment, and he took the opportunity to crawl out over to collapse beside
Frankie. He pressed close, pleading urgently, “Please tell me you didn’t... please...”
“I couldn’t watch you die,” Frankie whispered, blinking away bloody tears. “I’m so sorry, Obe. I
love you.”
“Ahhh, how touching,” a smooth voice drawled, echoing off the concrete menacingly. It seemed to
come from everywhere, but there was no visible source.
“Unholy creature of the devil!” Sanguis commanded. “Show yourself!”
“Mmm, only because you asked so nicely,” the voice chuckled, apparently enjoying this as if it was
all a big joke. The mist began to rush together until a solid figure began to form. It was a man, tall and
beautiful with thick blond hair and a nasty smile.
Snod recognized him immediately from Frankie’s memories and the painting.
This was Terrell Guiscard.
Sanguis was trembling, but still as arrogant as ever. He scoffed, pointing at Terrell and demanding, “It
is you! Finally, you have come to us. We want to renegotiate our deal, fiend. In exchange for not
